


Volume Four

by Rubymoon_Snape



Series: Legendary Defender Ficlets [4]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Acxa & Keith (Voltron) are Twins, Age Regression/De-Aging, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Altean Lance (Voltron), Blade of Marmora Keith (Voltron), Blind Keith (Voltron), Dads of Marmora (Voltron), Ficlets, Galra Keith (Voltron), Gen, Guns of Gamara AU, Keith (Voltron) Needs a Hug, Keith (Voltron) is a Mess, Keith (Voltron) was Raised by the Blade of Marmora, Keitor, M/M, Mama Black Lion, Mama Blue Lion, Mama Green Lion, Mama Krolia, Mama Red Lion, Mama Yellow Lion, Mama lions - Freeform, Mpreg, Omega Keith (Voltron), Pack, Pregnant Keith (Voltron), Purring Keith (Voltron), Regeith, SHEITH - Freeform, Sentient Voltron Lions, Team as Family, Zezor, adashi, antolivan, broganes, kallura, klance, mentor Shiro, shallura - Freeform, thulaz, veracxa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-11
Updated: 2020-04-04
Packaged: 2020-10-14 16:20:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 200
Words: 137,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20603720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rubymoon_Snape/pseuds/Rubymoon_Snape
Summary: Part four of a series of one shots involving everyone's favorite characters





	1. Kit Keith (DoM, Thulaz, Antolivan)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith had been hearing the BoM calling him a kit but didn't know what that meant. Kolivan and his pack are horrified to learn that their newest member and the youngest kit in the organization had been living and sleeping alone. They quickly rectify that situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, Antok, and Regris survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith and Regris their kits. This is Thulaz and Antolivan.
> 
> Tags: DoM, Thulaz, Antolivan, Galra Keith, Keith trains too much, Purring Keith

"Kit Keith"

Kit. Keith had been hearing that word a lot since he came to the Blade of Marmora headquarters. He didn't know what it meant. Maybe it was their way of saying human? They did say it to him or about him, instead of saying his name. He was 'the kit.' It was getting annoying not knowing what it truly meant though. Perhaps he could get it out of one of the Blades he routinely sparred with, Regris.

He skipped breakfast like he usually did and went straight to the training hall. He stepped into the familiar room and was surprised to find it empty. That was strange. There was usually someone in the room, no matter what time it was. Keith was a bit earlier than normal but didn't think that was a factor.

%%%

Kolivan, Antok, Thace, and Ulaz liked to think they were observant beings. There were only two lapses in judgement since Kolivan became leader of the Blades. Those two lapses resulted in Regris and Keith becoming Blade operatives when they were actually kits.

Speaking of the kits, only one was present for breakfast. Regris was sitting between Antok and Thace. It was his favorite spot, since he didn't like sitting between either pair of mates. After taking a bite of food, Regris looked around their table and then the hall, slightly confused. He swallowed and asked, "Where's Keith?"

Thace ran his hand down Regris's spine, a comforting motion. "We're not sure, kit. He's definitely on the base though."

"He better not be training," Antok grumbled. "The kit trains more than any other Blade."

Regris whined softly. He considered Keith a younger brother and didn't like the fact that he didn't act like a kit. Ulaz leaned across his mate and stroked Regris's headfur. "It's okay, kit. We'll find your brother. Just eat."

Regris went back to eating, earning him some pets from Antok. He briefly purred to him in between bites. Kolivan stood up. "I will go find our errant kit and bring him here. He needs to eat."

The leader of the Blade of Marmora was not usually one for searching for errant members. For him to volunteer to look for Keith, it meant that he was worried about him. Kolivan was indeed worried about Keith. He was too short, skinny, and skittish, especially for a kit. He was also way to proficient with a sword than kits even twice his age! In fact, kits Keith's age should still be prone to clinging to their parents and taking long naps.

Kolivan briefly stopped at the room Keith was originally assigned since it was on the way to the training hall. He knocked and called through the door, "Keith? Kit, are you in there?" After not receiving a reply, Kolivan said, "I'm opening the door."

He opened the door, revealing an empty room. Kolivan's ears drooped at the state of the room. He expected a messy room with a comfy nest in the middle, but what he saw was a room that barely looked lived in. The only thing that told Kolivan that this was someone's room was Keith's red and white jacket hanging in the closet and an extra pillow on the bed. It was so barren and cold, it hurt Kolivan's heart, and this being a _kit's_ room made it hurt even more. Kits should be surrounded by soft things and pack members. Keith didn't have any of those things in his room.

Kolivan snagged Keith's jacket (and found his Marmoran uniform in the closet and taking it as well) and the extra pillow from the bed. He carried these things to his pack's nest room and set them to the side. The other kit was joining his pack; he didn't have a choice. The kit had to be suffering being alone. He made his way to the training hall, mentally berating himself for having another lapse in judgement. He thought the kit was okay and enjoying himself when he wasn't on missions, but that apparently wasn't what happened. The kit wasn't taking care of himself, which shouldn't have been a surprise given his age; he was a toddler, but Kolivan had thought that his human DNA had been in control more than his Galra DNA was. Apparently, it was only in appearance.

Kolivan entered the training hall and stopped when he saw the kit in question training. He knew he had been, having heard the clang of metal against metal from outside the room. He let the doors close behind him before he growled loudly.

%%%

Keith froze when he heard the growl, blocking the gladiator bot. He let his eyes flick over to where the growl originated from and was surprised to see Kolivan. Keith decided to quickly end the bot and see what his leader wanted. Keith sliced through the bot and sank to one knee. "Leader."

Kolivan stopped growling and approached Keith. "Rise, kit. Why are you in here so early? Everyone is still at breakfast."

"I don't usually eat breakfast."

"Kits should eat breakfast."

Keith paused. "What's a kit?"

Kolivan stared at Keith. "You don't know what a kit is?"

Keith shook his head. "I've heard the term many times, but no one ever told me what it meant."

"You never knew what it meant?" Kolivan swept Keith close and held him against his chest.

Keith closed his eyes and relished the contact. He liked how Kolivan was holding him. "No. What _does_ it mean?"

"Kit is the term for a Galran child."

Keith opened his eyes and looked up at Kolivan. "But I'm not a child. I'm an adult on Earth."

"That may be true, but in Galran terms you are a small kit. Now, how long have you been training?"

"Uh, I woke up early. I don't really know how long I've been in here."

Kolivan nosed his hair and started grooming it. Keith froze before he relaxed against him. "That feels good."

Kolivan didn't say anything, just kept licking his hair for a couple more doboshes. Keith felt his eyes close, and he started purring. Kolivan wasn't that surprised to hear the kit purring. Most kits liked getting groomed; he figured Keith wasn't any different. When he was done grooming, Kolivan scooped up the kit, who was half asleep. "Come along, kit. The others are waiting for us to join them at breakfast."

"So...sleepy."

Kolivan paused. It wouldn't do to have the kit eat when he didn't have the energy to stay awake, but it also wasn't good for the kit to miss a meal, especially when he was so skinny in the first place. Kolivan pulled out his data pad and typed out a message to his pack to make a plate for Keith and bring it to the nest. He didn't wait for the inevitable reply. He put his data pad back into his pocket and secured his hold on the now dozing kit. He carried Keith out of the training hall and into the nest room. He stepped into the nest and sat down, reclining in the nest. He settled Keith on his chest, stroked his hair, and softly rumbled to him.

The door to the nest room opened, admitting the other four members of his pack. Thace held a container in his claws, clearly it was meant for Keith. He placed it on the table before entering the nest with the rest of the pack behind him. They gathered around Kolivan and Keith.

"Is he okay?" Regris asked.

"He was training again. He grew tired when I groomed him. I only intended to get the sweat out of his hair before going to breakfast, but being such a young kit, it was inevitable. Speaking of which, he didn't know what the word kit meant."

"He didn't know? We have been calling him a kit since we found out," Ulaz mentioned.

"He asked what it meant when I called him kit. He was insisting that he was an adult on Earth. Antok, could you hand me that pillow? The one with Keith's jacket."

Antok snagged the pillow with his tail and handed the soft, red, round pillow to his mate. He watched as Kolivan put the pillow next to the kit. "Where is the rest of the kit's stuff?"

Kolivan's ears drooped at his mate's question. "That's all he has. He didn't have a nest. His room was as barren and empty as it was before he was assigned to it."

"What? Why?" Regris looked distressed.

"Because I was launched into space with nothing but the clothes on my back and whatever I had in my utility packs." Keith cracked an eye open before he saw his pillow. He snatched it up and hugged it to his chest. "Where am I?"

Kolivan carded his claws through Keith's hair. "You fell asleep back in the training hall when I groomed your hair, so I took you back to the nest I share with my pack. We want you to be a part of our pack."

"Pack?"

"It's like a family, kit," Thace answered. "You need a pack. It's one of those Galra needs that you deny yourself of, one of many."

"Wha-?" Keith was fighting to keep his eyes open.

"Shh, kit. It's okay. Get some rest. We'll talk when you've rested," Kolivan stroked Keith's hair some more.

Antok laid down beside Kolivan with Regris in his lap. Regris snuggled closer to Keith and wrapped his tail around his right leg. Antok's tail was wrapped around his mate's waist. On Kolivan's other side was Thace and Ulaz, the latter on the former's lap. Thace was nuzzling Ulaz's neck and stroking Keith's cheek. Kolivan knew his pack was going to need to take the rest of the day off to tend to their new kit's needs. They also needed to stop by a space mall soon in order to get more supplies, not just for the base but for Keith as well. The kit was going to be taken care of; Kolivan was going to make sure of that.

Fin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone enjoys today's chapter. I apologize for posting this later in the day. The surgery really kicked my butt and the pain medicine makes me really sleepy, so until I am fully recovered the chapter updates are going to be later in the day. I am doing okay though.


	2. Unhealthy (Sheith, Team as family)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Lance falls ill, it's up to Keith to nurse him back to health.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: It mentions Sheith but focuses more on a brotherly type bond between Lance and Keith.
> 
> Tags: Sheith, Galra Keith, Instincts, Team as family

"Unhealthy"

Lance sniffled pathetically. He was sick with the common cold, an Earth cold, which meant Shiro, Hunk, and Pidge couldn't come near him without contracting it themselves. Surprisingly, the Alteans could get Earth diseases as well, so Allura and Coran couldn't care for him either. There was only one being on the ship that could take care of him without getting sick himself, Keith. Being half Galra made him immune to most Earth diseases, even though there were Galran diseases that made Lance's cold seem like a bad case of the sniffles.

Speaking of Keith, he was out collecting things for Lance, so he wouldn't have to continuously leave the room. Lance disliked being by himself on a regular day, but when he was sick, he absolutely despised being alone. Keith had told him that he would collect food, drink, medicine, and more blankets and pillows before coming to cuddle him. He knew Keith was on his way back. Lance was just impatient.

Just then, the door opened, admitting Keith or at least Lance assumed it was Keith under the mountain of pillows and blankets. The mountain moved into the room and promptly tumbled to the floor, revealing Keith with a basket hanging from a wrist. He set the basket down next to the bed and knelt down, feeling Lance's forehead with the back of his right hand. "Hmm. Warmer than before I left."

He reached into the basket and pulled out some medicine. "Coran said these should work on your cold. Pidge confirmed it."

He handed Lance the little blue pills and a water pouch. Lance took them without issue and finished the water pouch as well. "Thanks."

Keith took off his boots and shrugged out of his jacket. He unclipped his utility belt and laid all of these items to the side. He set about building a nest out of the materials he brought. His Galran instincts told him to build a nest to make his brother feel better. He knew his instincts recognized that the team was a family to him with Lance, Pidge, and Hunk as his younger siblings, Coran as his uncle, and Allura as his older sister. Shiro, however, was a different story. Shiro was his boyfriend, so his instincts told him that Shiro was his mate. He tended to stick around Shiro a lot, but when Lance fell ill, it was up to Keith to nurse him back to health.

Once the nest was done, Keith scooped up Lance, blankets and all, and deposited him in the nest. He stepped in and tucked Lance against his side, nuzzling his hair. Lance relaxed against Keith, half asleep. Keith started licking his hair, which wasn't the first time Keith had done that. Keith had taken to grooming the team, especially when they were either having trouble sleeping or were half-asleep already. The grooming always seemed to soothe everyone, even Keith, who was always the one doing the grooming. Allura called it team bonding, which led Keith to grumble about Lance not remembering the bonding moment. Lance responded with a quip about making sure he remembered this time, but he always remembered when Keith groomed him. He liked it way too much to forget it.

Fin


	3. Confrontation (Mama Krolia)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith just wanted to people watch while writing his report to Kolivan. Why did one have to approach him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is a set of one shots for the Mama Krolia series depicting Keith's adventures on Earth and/or at the Garrison.
> 
> Tags: Mama Krolia, Garrison/Earth Hijinks, James didn't want to make an enemy, Socially Awkward Keith

"Confrontation"

Keith was sitting in the cafeteria with a tray of questionable human food and his data pad in front of him. He was jotting down notes in code so that no one but him would know what he was writing. That was the issue with gathering intel to put in his report to Kolivan. He wanted to make sure he didn't forget anything, and the best way to not forget anything was to use notes. Most of the cadets around gave him a wide berth anyway; for what reason, Keith didn't know. He thought he was pretty friendly.

%%%

James Griffin entered the cafeteria with a group of his friends. Ina Leifdottir had been his friend since they met in elementary school. Lance McClain was a new guy that met him in the simulator, and they had bonded over a hero worship of one Takashi Shirogane. Three others were also new to the scene. There was Nadia Rizavi, Ryan Kinkade, and Hunk Garrett. Hunk was a packaged deal with Lance. James had nothing against Hunk, but he did wonder why he signed up for the Galaxy Garrison if he got motion sickness so horribly. Apparently for Kinkade, flying was his second option. He had an extreme passion for filming and was a quiet guy. Nadia was loud and the opposite of Kinkade but also with a passion for filming but of interesting things, where Kinkade liked filming everything.

There was another guy that James met but didn't hang out with. He met him in the simulator, and this guy flew so well, he was at the top of the class and was put straight into the fighter pilot program and had only had to fly two simulations, one individual and one team. James didn't know much about the guy, but something about him rubbed him the wrong way. It was like he was trying too hard for people to like him, like he was hiding something. Today, he was going to find out what it was, but first, he was going to eat lunch with his friends.

%%%

Keith picked at the human food as he let his gaze wander around the cafeteria. He was a little interested in 'people watching' but didn't know what Kolivan wanted in his report. He didn't have any experience writing reports. It was only a few phoebs...months since he was sent to Earth. What if he put the wrong things in his report, and Kolivan sends him back? Should he be including tactical data too?

Keith was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't see fellow cadet, James Griffin, step over to his part of the table. James cleared his throat. "Ahem."

Keith looked up and then flicked his eyes down to his data pad. Thankfully the screen was locked. Since he hadn't typed anything for three minutes, the screen auto saved and locked. The only way unlock it was with Keith's ring finger print. Most people use their thumb or index, so Keith decided on a less commonly used finger. Keith returned his gaze to James's face. "Hi. Do you need something?"

"Answers like why does Officer Shirogane like you, how do you fly so well, why haven't I seen you before, and anything else you're hiding?"

Keith was taken aback. He wasn't used to being questioned, especially in an accusatory tone. "I don't owe you any answers."

The snippy tone Keith said that in made James angry. He impulsively threw a punch, striking Keith in the cheek. Keith fought the urge to respond in kind, but he knew he was stronger than humans and could do some major harm to James. He simply used his sleeve to rub at his cheek while he glared at James.

James stared at Keith as a little bit of purple showed up on his cheek, his expression morphing into panic when he realized that it was the color of a bruise. Did he hit him hard enough to bruise him?

Keith noticed the expression change. "What's wrong with you?"

"I didn't mean to bruise you!"

"What are you talking about?"

"You have a little purple bruise on your cheek."

Keith froze, his hand flying to cover his cheek. He forgot that the foundation was only able to be wiped off, since it was water and sweat proof. Feigning fear over having a bruise rather than fear over having part of his cheek stripe uncovered, Keith scooped up his data pad and back away from James. "S-Stay away from me."

James reached out, not wanting Keith to run away from him, but he was too late. He watched as Keith ran out of the room. That interaction had not gone according to plan. James hadn't wanted to antagonize him. He had genuinely wanted answers and maybe even befriend the dark haired cadet. His shoulders slumped as he too left the cafeteria, not even sparring a glance at the uneaten lunch the other cadet had left behind.

%%%

Keith dashed back to his room and locked the door, glad he didn't have a roommate to contend with. He grabbed the concealer and walked into the bathroom. He wiped the remaining powder off his right cheek, revealing his purple cheek stripe that he got from his mother. "I miss you, Mom."

Keith blinked back tears as he once again applied the concealer his eldest sister had gotten him. At least James thought it was a bruise and not a sign of his alien heritage. Slowly, his cheek stripe was hidden from view once again. Keith wondered when he would be able to go home and not have to worry about concealing his cheek stripes.

Fin


	4. Mischief (Blind Keith, Thulaz)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regris and Keith want a midnight snack but end up getting into mischief.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is the twelfth story in the Blind Keith series. This is Thulaz.
> 
> Tags: Blind Keith, Thulaz, Kit Keith, Kit Regris, Galra Keith, Keith raised by the BoM, Midnight Snack, Popsicles

"Mischief"

Regris stirred in the middle of the night, inadvertantly waking up Keith in the process. Keith let out a questioning noise, not used to someone else in his nest.

"It's just me, Keith. It's Regris."

Keith yawned. "Wha-What's going on?"

"I'm hungry. I want a snack."

"Daddy and Papa don't keep snacks in our quarters."

"We could go get something from the kitchens."

"Yeah. I guess we could."

Regris and Keith both slipped out of his nest and tiptoed out of the quarters he shared with Thace and Ulaz. Regris wrapped his tail around Keith's wrist. It wasn't because he thought Keith wouldn't be able to keep up or know where to go. It was because the halls of the base looked a little scary at night. Regris had never been out late at night without an adult present.

Keith smiled when he felt Regris's tail wrap around his wrist. He knew why he did it. He could smell the slight fear that was coming off the other kit. It wasn't that noticable, but Keith had been training his nose to detect scents with his Dads and leaders during his regular training sessions as well. Keith wrapped an arm around Regris's waist and gave him a slight squeeze. "It'll be okay, Regris. We're almost there."

Regris smiled at Keith. He liked that the other kit was kind. It didn't bother him that he couldn't see, never had. He was his best friend and had been for three deca-phoebes.

The trek to the kitchens didn't actually take that long, but it felt like it did. The two kits walked into the kitchen, and Keith turned to Regris. "What are you hungry for?"

"Um, something cold."

"I wonder if there are popsicles," Keith wondered out loud.

"What are popsicles?"

"Popsicles are frozen treats on a stick."

Regris chirped, liking what he heard. He tugged Keith over to the walk in freezer, and they entered the cold room. Regris unwrapped his tail from Keith's wrist, and his eyes scanned the shelves. Spotting the popsicles, Regris's tail swished sharply, hitting the door in the process. The door closed behind the kits, locking them in.

Keith could have sworn he had just heard the door close and lock. He turned towards the door and touched it. Ignoring Regris's shout of triumph at finding the popsicles, Keith pushed on the door with no luck. He whined, catching Regris's attention. "What's wrong, Keith?"

"I think we're locked in here," Keith whimpered.

Regris's eyes widened, and he tried opening the door with the same result. It was true! They were stuck, and no one knew where they were.

%%%

Ulaz sat bolt up right in the nest, startling Thace. "What's wrong, 'Laz?"

"I don't know. Something doesn't feel right." Ulaz stood up. "I'm going to check on the kits."

Ulaz rushed to Keith's room, only to find his kit's nest empty. Neither of the two kits were there! He yowled in distress, drawing Thace to his side. The violet furred Galra stared at the empty nest.

"Where are the kits?" Thace asked.

"I don't know, but we need to find them."

Thace and Ulaz rushed out of their quarters and into the main part of the base. Keith had never left their quarters in the middle of the night before, especially without an adult.

%%%

Keith and Regris were cuddled up next to each other, trying to stay warm. They had wanted the popsicles, but when they learned the door was locked, popsicles were the last thing on their minds. Regris was curled around the smaller kit, especially since Keith didn't have any fur and was more susceptible to the cold temperatures. How long would it be before someone found them?

%%%

Thace and Ulaz were starting to get desperate. Where were the kits? They were considering enlisting more help, but that would take even longer. They had to calm down and think clearly. Where would two kits go in the middle of the night? It dawned on both Blades at the same time, and they rushed into the kitchen. Thace's ears drooped when they both noticed the kitchen was empty. Ulaz whined loudly.

%%%

Keith's head shot up, barely missing Regris's head. He knew he just heard his Papa. Keith whined as loud as he could. He unwrapped Regris's arms and tail and went to the door. He banged on it and kept whining, hoping someone could hear him.

%%%

The racket coming from the freezer drew Thace's and Ulaz's attention. Thace all but yanked the door open. Keith tumbled out and into his arms with a yelp. Thace wrapped his arms around his kit as Regris shot out of the freezer and barreled into Ulaz, knocking him off his feet. Both kits were freezing and whimpering.

"Why were you two in the freezer?" Thace asked.

"W-W-We wanted a-a mid-midnight s-snack," Keith stammered, teeth chattering.

"Let's take these kits back to our rooms and warm them up before we scold them," Ulaz mentioned, scooping up Regris and carrying him to their quarters. Thace stood up with Keith in his arms and followed his mate.

The pair of mates wrapped the kits up in a couple of blankets and stuck them between them in their nest. Keith whimpered and stuck his nose in Thace's neck. He didn't want to ever go into the freezer ever again. Regris shook in more than just the cold. He was scared. He and Keith might have died in the freezer if Thace and Ulaz hadn't found them, and that thought scared him.

It took several vargas for the kits to stop shaking, though both were still scared as the realization of what could have happened sank in without the adults even having to voice it.

Thace gently nudged his kit. "I know you kits already know what could have happened had Ulaz and I not found you in time, but did you know how your deaths would have impacted not just us but the entire base? Kits are precious, because you are the next generation of Galra."

"We're sorry, Daddy. We were just hungry," Keith cried.

"It was my fault," Regris sniffled. "I woke up hungry and accidentally woke up Keith. I suggested we go to the kitchen and wanted something cold to snack on."

"I'm the one who suggested popsicles," Keith added.

"I never want to _see_ a popsicle again," Regris muttered.

"I never want to _eat_ a popsicle again," Keith put in.

"We'll understand if you don't want us to hang out anymore." Regris sounded depressed.

"We would _never_ separate you two. You are such good friends. It would be a shame for us to separate you, especially since it was an accident. However, you are both restricted to the nest for a movement. You may not know this, but you disappearing in the middle of the night scared us. We didn't know where you were, if you were hurt, or even of you needed help. It was a sense of helplessness. We never want to feel that again. So, tonight, you stay here with us," Ulaz replied.

Keith and Regris snuggled further into the blankets they were wrapped in and against the adult Blade laying next to them. Keith kept his nose buried in Thace's neck. "Love you, Daddy. I'm sorry."

Thace tightened his grip on his kit. "I know you're sorry, my kit. I still love you, no matter what. Just don't do that again."

"Promise."

Fin


	5. My Mate (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith is the last Paladin released from the hospital, and he fortunately has Lance to keep him company. If a couple people realized that, then he could actually relax.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is canon compliant until the end of Season Seven and is Klance.
> 
> Tags: Klance, Season 7, Galra Keith, Relaxing

"My Mate"

It had been two weeks since the fight with the Komar mech. Shiro was glad that the Paladins all survived and were finally all being released from the hospital. Most of the Paladins had been released a few days ago, so only one Paladin was still being detained. Keith had suffered the worst injuries of all the Paladins and his recovery was slow going mostly due to his mixed heritage. The medicines were either not strong enough or completely ineffective, and the hospital food wouldn't stay down. Krolia was concerned about her kit and had used Cosmo to sneak in proper food. Lance had stopped by several times, especially when Krolia and Kolivan weren't in the room, and had taken to holding Keith while he rested.

Today was the day Keith was finally being released from the hospital. He was still under orders to take it easy, so Lance decided to stay with Keith at the Garrison instead of letting Keith traverse the desert to stay in his father's shack. Keith appreciated the company. He and Lance had been growing closer as they had confessed to each other once Lance had been released from the hospital.

Keith had built a nest in his room and was currently resting in it, cuddled up next to Lance, who was reading out loud. It was supposed to be a quiet evening, so when there was a knock on the door, Lance paused in his reading. He laid the book aside and kissed Keith on the forehead. "I'll see who that is and be right back."

Lance exited the nest and opened the door. He was surprised to see Nadia Rizavi and James Griffin standing there. "We heard Keith finally got released. We can finally have that party!"

"Party?"

"Partial thank you party, partial you survived, partial-" Nadia was cut off by James elbowing her in the ribs.

"I think he gets the picture."

"Well, as nice as that sounds, Keith _just_ got released and isn't up to attending a party yet. Postpone it for another week."

James grabbed Lance by the shirt. "You Paladins think you can save Earth and then order people around. This party has been in the works for two weeks already and now you're saying to wait even longer! You-"

"Unhand my mate!" Keith growled. He was standing behind Lance with his eyes sporting the yellow sclera and slitted pupils of his Galra side.

James yelped when he saw Keith's eyes and the fangs in his mouth and released Lance. Lance immediately went over to Keith's side and wrapped an arm around his waist. Keith's eyes went back to normal. "You heard what Lance said. I am under strict orders to rest and going to a party is the opposite of the doctor's orders. Postpone it. If you won't, I will tell either Shiro or Commander Holt or maybe even Commander Iverson. You won't like what they would do to you, Griffin. Now, _shoo."_

Keith dragged Lance back into his nest and resumed his cuddling. Lance picked the book back up but didn't immediately continue reading. There was something on his mind. "Keith?"

"Yeah, Lance?"

"What did you mean when you called me your mate?"

"Well, that's what Galra refer to their significant others as. I know we just started this relationship, but if it's okay with you, I'd like to call you my mate."

Lance looked at the part-Galra snuggled against his shoulder and smiled. "Yeah. I think I'd like that too."

Keith purred as Lance continued reading. His mate; he liked the sound of that.

Fin


	6. Bowling (Team As Family, Pining Allura, Adashi)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Paladins and MFEs go bowling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This could be pining Allura. She has eyes for Keith, but it's not the focus of the story. This is also Adashi.
> 
> Tags: Team as family, Pining Allura, Adashi, Keith is good at bowling, Adam lives

"Bowling"

"Bowling? That's a great idea!" Lance exclaimed. "Who's all coming?"

"Well, as far as I know, it's the MFEs and the Paladins," Veronica answered her brother. "The MFEs are the ones who thought of it, so can you tell your team?"

Lance grinned. "I can do that."

%%%

The Paladins met each other outside the bowling alley, Shiro and Adam joining them. It had been a surprise to everyone that Adam not only survived his crash but also woke up from the coma he was in, a result of the crash.

"What is this bowling Lance spoke of?" Allura asked.

"It's a game, Allura," Keith answered. "Let's go in, and we can show you. It'll be easier to show you."

The group of seven entered and met up with the MFEs and Veronica, who smiled at the group. "I'm glad you guys could make it."

"Thanks for inviting us." Keith looked around. "Are we the only ones here?"

"Yeah," James admitted. "We booked it for the evening."

"Why? We don't mind sharing the space," Hunk asked.

"You wouldn't get much enjoyment out of the game if you were continuously interrupted by others wanting to show their gratitude for you saving Earth," Nadia replied.

"Ah, that makes sense." Pidge readjusted her glasses. "Shall we start?"

"First, shoes!" Lance exclaimed.

Keith led Allura over to the counter. "We need to find out your shoe size. Let's let the other girls get their shoes and compare them with your feet."

"Why do I need special shoes to play this game?"

"These shoes are designed not to ruin the floor of the lanes," Pidge answered, giving her shoe size and receiving weird looking shoes with the number on the heel.

Veronica, Nadia, and Ina all did the same and compared their shoes to Allura's feet to determine her shoe size. It turned out she had the same size as Veronica, who gave her the shoes and went back up to the counter to order another pair.

Keith led Allura to the seats in front of one of the lanes, and they put on their shoes. "Now, we need to figure out which bowling ball you need. There are a lot of different weights."

She tried several ones and soon found one that felt comfortable in her hands. She and Keith carried their bowling balls to the ball return and set them down. "The idea is to roll the ball down the lane and knock down the pins that are set up at the end. You get two chances to knock down all ten. You have to make sure your ball doesn't end up in the gutter, which are the grooves on the sides of the lane. It'll be easier once you see how we do it."

Since they had the entire bowling alley to themselves, they spread out and had two to a lane. Shiro and Adam were on one with Lance and Veronica next to them. Pidge and Hunk were next with James and Ina on the next lane. Next to them were Ryan and Nadia and Allura and Keith were on one together. Keith let Allura watch the other pairs bowl, while he set up their lane.

As she watched the others bowl, Allura found her eyes being drawn back to the lane she was sharing with Keith. She saw him taking his turn. She was mesmerized as he released his ball from the start of the lane. It traveled down the lane with just the tiniest bit of a curve to take down all ten pins at the same time. The smile that lit up Keith's face made it impossible for Allura to take her eyes off of him. He turned around and stepped down off the lane. "Whenever you are ready, Allura, it's your turn."

She decided to try to her hand at it. She picked up her ball and tried to imitate what she saw Keith do. Unfortunately, she did not get the exact same result. Her ball flew straight down the lane with no curve and managed to knock down eight of the ten pins. Clapping from behind her startled her slightly. She turned around and saw Keith wasn't the only one who was clapping; Lance was there too.

"Well done, Princess. Now, all you have to do is knock down the last two pins!"

"Lance, it's your turn again!" Veronica called out.

"I'm coming, mi hermana," Lance called back. "You can do it, princess. I believe in you." Lance walked back to the lane he shared with his sister.

As the twelve people threw bowling ball after bowling ball, there was a clear list of who was the best bowler and who was the worst. Surprisingly, Keith was at the top with James trailing him by a few points. Lance was in third place, Ina was behind Lance, and Veronica followed the blonde MFE pilot. Allura was in sixth place with Pidge following her. Ryan was next with Hunk following him. Nadia was after Hunk. The last two were tied for last place. Keith had dubbed the team 'The Disaster Gays (TM)' because it was the team of Shiro and Adam. They were losing because they were a little too wrapped up in each other to bowl properly.

Balls kept flying down the lanes, racking up more points. The leaderboard didn't change in the slightest. Keith did not end up with a perfect game of 300, but he was pretty close with 276. James was on his heels with 250. Lance ended up with 230. Ina bowled a 225, and Veronica got a 220. Allura managed to get a 215. Pidge got a 205, while Ryan got a 200. Hunk ended up with a 190, and Nadia bowled a 180. The Disaster Gays (TM) only managed a 50 point tie for last place.

The dozen people bowled game after game into the night and the only change was the points. The leaderboard remained the same. At one point, the main lights turned off, and it became Cosmic Bowling, earning a "whooo!" from the Paladins. It was becoming an amazing night, just like the Paladins always dreamed of having when they had come back to Earth.

Fin


	7. The Blade of Marmora (Mama Krolia)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith is finally able to return to headquarters, where he grew up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is the twenty-fourth story of the Mama Krolia series. It takes place a month after the twenty-third story. Regris is 24, Lotor is 23, Ezor is 21, and Acxa and Keith are 18. 
> 
> Tags: Mama Krolia, VLD timeline, DoM, Reunions

"The Blade of Marmora"

Keith grinned from his seat in the Red Paladin chair. He was finally going home. Ulaz was standing near his kit and had a comforting hand on his shoulder. Keith nuzzled his hand and softly purred to his Papa.

"Identify yourself."

Keith grinned wider. Apparently, the Blades were still using the security protocol Lotor had come up with after he had been nearly kidnapped.

Shiro looked at Keith, who nodded and leaned against Ulaz. "Open a hailing frequency, Coran. We are the Paladins of Voltron, sent here by Ulaz."

A couple of ticks passed before the automated reply came. "Three may enter. Come unarmed."

"Why would they insist on coming unarmed? Shiro, this doesn't feel right," Allura commented.

"We've come too far to turn back now," Shiro replied.

"They just sent us a route to the base, but we'll have to move quickly. Because of the solar flares, it's only open for another varga. Then, it'll be closed for two quintants," Coran put in.

"They're gonna close it for two years?" Hunk asked.

"Two days," Pidge corrected.

"Oh," Hunk said.

"So, any thoughts on who's gonna join you on this little mission? I'm thinking things may get a little hot, so you're gonna want someone who can stay cool," Lance inquired.

"You're right. Keith, you're coming with me along with Ulaz," Shiro decided.

"Keith's a hothead! He's probably going to shoot first and ask questions later! And they're not going to be able to answer his questions because they'll be dead!" Lance got in Shiro's face.

"We haven't severed Zarkon's link with the Black Lion," Shiro started explaining while moving Lance back out of his face. "So, it has to stay here. And the Red Lion can withstand the heat from that sun. So, yes, it'll be Keith and Ulaz."

"The course to the base will be quite treacherous, to say the least. You're walking a razor's edge between the gravitational pull of the black holes and the sun. One false move and you'll either be stretched into infinity or burnt to a crisp," Coran warned.

%%%

Keith was excited to be piloting his Papa and his mentor through the extremely dangerous route home. It had been a long two deca-phoebes, but he was finally going to see whoever was home. He hoped his entire pack was there, but in his heart, he knew not everyone was there. They were in a war after all. He landed the Red Lion outside on the asteroid. Red Lion let her three passengers out before she powered down.

Keith tensed slightly when the lift activated and two Blades came into view. His breath caught in his throat as he recognized both of them. It was Antok and Taulol! He couldn't take it any longer and ran towards them, yanking off his helmet in the process. He let out a whine before he reached them, which caused Antok to grab Keith and pull him close. "Kit?"

Keith nuzzled his largest pack member, tears coursing down his cheeks. "I can't believe I'm finally back! I missed you guys so much!"

Keith felt weight against his back and purred to his surrogate aunt. "Kit, it's been so long! I was against sending you away two deca-phoebes ago."

"I wasn't fond of the idea either, but Lotor convinced me."

"Imagine our surprise when Ulaz told us he made contact with you and that you were in space."

Keith grinned. "Can we go in? I want to see everyone who's still home."

Antok shifted his hold on Keith and put him up on his shoulders. "Hold on, kit."

Keith twisted around and looked at Shiro. "Come on, Shiro. Let's go."

"What's going on, Keith?"

Keith couldn't blame Shiro. He hadn't told anyone about being raised by the Blades. He had figured it wouldn't end well. When they had encountered Ulaz, the truth came out, and, to Keith's surprise, the only one who reacted negatively was Princess Allura.

"Shiro, Keith has told you that he was raised by the Blade of Marmora. These two are members of our pack," Ulaz spoke up. "Antok and Taulol. Now, let's go inside. Our leader, Kolivan, is expecting us."

Shiro slowly followed the three Blades and Keith into the lift, which carried them into the base. When Antok walked into the main hall, Keith was still perched on top of his shoulders, grinning cheekily. There were gasps from the Blades they passed, but Keith wasn't entirely interested in their reactions. He wanted to see Kolivan's reaction to his reappearance after two deca-phoebes. Fortunately for Keith, the trek to the dais didn't take long thanks to Antok's long legs. He heard Kolivan's breath catch in his throat, and his mask disappeared as he approached his second-in-command. Antok knew what his oldest friend and leader wanted and lifted the kit from his shoulders, setting him down between them.

"Keith? Kit, is that you?"

Keith reached for him. "Dad!"

Kolivan grabbed Keith and tucked him against his chest, nosing his hair. "Kit, you're finally back."

"I missed you so much!"

Kolivan held Keith out to get a good look at him. "You are still short, kit, but what are you wearing, and where are your stripes?"

"I am a Paladin of Voltron. I had to hide my stripes when you sent me to Earth, and I just got used to hiding them."

Ulaz came up behind Keith and put his hands on his shoulders. "Leader, I believe it's time for Keith to take the trials. He will pass and make us proud."

Keith looked from Ulaz to Kolivan. "Can I?"

Kolivan took one look at Keith and knew he couldn't say no. "Of course, kit."

%%%

Keith was nervous as he entered the room, armed only with his mother's knife. A singular Blade rose from the floor with his mask covering his face.

"Surrender the blade." The Blade drew his sword and brandished it. "You cannot win." He twirled it around until it was downward facing.

Keith drew his knife and held it in his right hand, forward facing. He charged first, and his attempts to hit his opponent with his knife were blocked twice in a row. He kicked and then slashed at him before flipping the knife around, it now rear facing. Keith tried two punching slashes (which were blocked by the Blade's sword) before the Blade grabbed his wrist and elbowed Keith in the face and shoved him away by pushing on his chest. Keith stumbled and fell but rolled back up onto feet. The Blade rushed at him and attacked him six times in quick succession with Keith blocking each of the attacks. The Blade feigned a slash before he kicked at Keith and landed a blow with his sword on his right shoulder (between shoulder blade and neck), causing him to cry out. A kick sent him tumbling end over end before Keith stood up and stabbed forward, and the Blade grabbed his arm and twisted him around until he was bent forward with the Blade's sword at the side of his neck. "Surrender the blade and the pain will cease."

"I won't quit."

"Then the pain continues." He released Keith, who fell to his knees. He stood up and turned to face the Blade. "You are not meant to go through that door." He was clearly gesturing at the door in the rear of the room. With a wary glare at the Blade, Keith dashed past him and into the next room. He stood with the knife held out in front of him, ready to defend himself against whoever showed up next.

%%%

Regris and Krolia entered the room through the floor with their masks on. Krolia's eyes narrowed as she saw a fresh wound on her youngest kit's shoulder. He was injured! She fought the urge to growl. She was going to kill the Blade in the first room if she got her claws on him. Everyone in the organization knew Keith was her kit, just as everyone knew that Regris, Lotor, Ezor, and Acxa were also her kits.

Keith rushed forward, intending on fighting these two Blades. He was hoping to defeat them, but the battle was short lived as the one with the tail tripped him and pinned his legs while the other one pinned his arms. He fought as hard as he could, trying to get them off when he heard someone say his name. "Keith."

He looked at the Blade pinning his arms and saw the mask disappear, revealing his mother's face. "Mom?"

His eyes traveled down to the Blade pinning his legs and saw his eldest brother's grinning face. "Regris?"

Krolia and Regris released their hold on Keith, allowing him to get up. Keith caught the look in his mom's eyes and realized that she was staring at his cheeks, specifically the spots where his cheek stripes were. However, they were still hidden under the foundation he had used when he got to Earth. Krolia couldn't help the whine that left her throat at the sight of the bare cheeks.

"Mom, it's okay." He hurriedly wiped his cheeks with the sleeves of the uniform, revealing his stripes. "See? I still have them and still remember everyone." He quickly tucked himself under her chin in a very familiar manner. "I missed you so much, Mom."

"I missed you, too, kit." Krolia nosed Keith's hair. Regris slid in next to his brother and wrapped his tail around his waist.

"Hi, Regris. I missed you too," Keith purred.

"Me too."

"Oh, by the way, Mom, thanks for lending me your blade. It was comforting to have it with me." Keith backed out from under his mother's chin and flipped the knife around, handle facing Krolia, to hand it back to its original owner. "Take it."

Suddenly, the insignia glowed before the glow spread to the entire knife, and then, it elongated into a short sword. Keith's eyes widened in shock before he chirped.

"Congratulations, my kit. You've awoken the blade. It's yours now. You're officially a Blade."

"I am? I passed the trials?"

"Yes, and now, I must go talk to the Blade you first faced."

Keith made a questioning noise. "Mom, please don't kill him."

"Don't worry, kit. I won't kill him, but he'll wish I had."

Regris tugged Keith out of the room and towards the med bay. "You need to get this treated." Regris looked up at who was in the med bay. "Ulaz!"

Regris hurried over and hugged Ulaz. He may not have been as close with Ulaz as Acxa and Keith, but he still missed him. Keith came over, nuzzling his Papa. Ulaz didn't realize Keith was injured until Ulaz had gripped Keith's shoulder, prompting his kit to hiss.

"Keith, what-?" Ulaz immediately let go of the kits and inspected Keith's shoulder, finding the injury quickly. He recognized that it was from a luxite sword and was incensed that a member of their organization harmed their kit.

Keith recognized the look on Ulaz's face. "Don't worry about it, Papa. Mom's already taking care of it."

"All right, kit." Ulaz nodded and set to treating his kit's injury.

%%%

"HOW DARE YOU?! THAT WAS MY KIT YOU INJURED!" Krolia roared.

The other Blade struggled in her grip but couldn't find any purchase as Krolia had him pinned to the wall a few feet off the ground by his neck. Her grip was making it hard to breathe. "Please. I-I didn't k-know."

"LIAR! EVERYONE KNOWS KEITH!"

"Krolia, stand down. Ilun didn't know. He came to us a few quintants after Keith left on his mission," Kolivan intervened. "Put him down."

Krolia none to gently dropped Ilun to the floor. Ilun rubbed his neck, trying to get feeling back into it. Kolivan approached Krolia, passing Ilun on the way. He paused and patted Ilun on the shoulder. "Do not injure anyone else going through the trials. Take the rest of the quintant off to recover."

"Yes, leader. My apologies." Ilun bowed and left as Kolivan made his way over to Krolia.

"What is the matter, Krolia?"

"When I saw Keith without his stripes, it brought back memories of that horrid nightmare I had."

Kolivan tugged Krolia closer and tucked her against him. "It's okay, Krolia. Keith still has his stripes and his memories of us. Your nightmare didn't come to be. Now, let's go see our kit."

Krolia let herself be led to the med bay, where not only Ulaz and Regris were crowded around Keith, but Antok, Taulol, and Shiro were there. Shiro was trying to get close to Keith but was continuously blocked by Keith's pack members. Keith could see Shiro was worried about him. He chirped, gaining everyone's attention. "Can one of you step back and let Shiro in? He's worried too." When no one moved, Keith turned to Regris. "Please, Regris. He was like family when I was on Earth. He watched over me."

Regris could tell how much this human meant to his brother and stepped back, using his tail to bring Shiro to Keith's side. "Thanks Regris."

"Keith, are you okay?"

Keith smiled. "Yeah. It was just a little cut-" Keith was cut off by a few growls. He ducked his head as the adults of his pack disagreed with his description of his injury.

"That was no mere cut, kit. A few inches deeper and it would have cut through a muscle!" Ulaz corrected.

Keith purred to his Papa. He was such a worrier; something he missed while he had been on his mission and consequently shot into space. He saw Krolia edging her way closer and chirped. "Mom!"

Taulol backed away, allowing Krolia to get close enough to her kit to pick him up. Keith wrapped his arms around her neck and nuzzled her. Krolia licked his cheek stripes causing Keith to purr again. Krolia looked at the assembled members of her pack. "I refuse to be separated from Keith again. I will be returning with him, Ulaz, and Shiro. Regris, you can come with us if you'd like."

"I'm coming."

"Hold on," Shiro tried to interject.

"We are coming as well," Kolivan spoke up, motioning to himself and Antok. "We have a plan to take down the Empire but we need the assistance of Princess Allura."

Keith knew that Allura wouldn't be pleased with that many Galra on her ship, but he couldn't bring himself to care. Almost his entire pack were going to reside in the castle, and that made it all worthwhile.

Fin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note 2: Allura was indeed not pleased but seeing that they had a plan to take down the Empire, she tolerated their presence. 


	8. Cicatrice (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance is worried about his mate. A storm was raging outside, and Keith was caught in it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is fey Klance with water fey Lance and fire fey Keith.
> 
> Tags: Fey Klance, Water Fey Lance, Fire Fey Keith, Hurt Keith, Healer Lance

"Cicatrice"

Lance was worried. There was a bad storm raging outside his home, but that's not exactly what had him worried. His mate was out in that...that monsoon. It wasn't quite a monsoon though. As a water fey, Lance had control over most forms of water, except for the rain. His mate, Keith, was a fire fey and had control over even the hot lava that flowed from the volcanoes to the north. The fact that they were mates was unusual to say the least, being complete opposites, but they loved each other without reservation.

Suddenly, the door to their home banged open, startling Lance horribly. He spun around as lightning flashed, illuminating the battered form of his mate. With a gasp, Lance rushed over as Keith toppled over. Lance managed to catch him, being careful of Keith's soaked red and black wings, and carried him over to the magical fireplace. There was always a fire going during the day, which should have been a bad idea since they lived in a tree, but since it was a magical fireplace, the flames never spread to their home. When Lance settled Keith near the flames, Keith lifted his face to gaze at Lance, revealing a new mark on his skin.

Lance was used to the scars littering his beloved's body. Keith had been previously captured by hunters who captured and sold magical beings for a huge profit. Lance had happened by their encampment one night. It was just a stroke of luck that they stopped by a beach and imbibed a little too much alcohol. (Lance could tell it was cheap beer from the smell.) He had freed all of the captive beings that night, Keith being the only one who stayed with him. Both fey could feel the connection they had with each other and just knew they were mates.

Lance gently cupped Keith's face and focused his powers. He was versed in healing, but he wasn't as masterful as his eldest sister. He could at least make the mark look less angry. Keith sighed in relief as he felt the fire replenish his wings, the heat dry him off, and Lance healing his newest injury. The storm had caught him off guard and blew him into a prickle bush. He had escaped with only minor scratches except for his face. He knew that it was going to scar, even with Lance's healing; another one to add to his collection.

Lance removed his hand and let Keith slump against him for a moment. Both fey were glad Keith was home and out of the storm. The blue and white winged fey scooped up his mate and flew him to their nest located in the higher branches of their tree home. He settled them into the soft blankets that lined the nest and wrapped his wings around Keith, keeping him tucked against his chest. He felt better now that he had his mate in his arms and wrapped in his wings. Now, he could relax; they both could.

Fin


	9. Shield (Shklance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro was glad he met the pair of mischievous mers, and they were just as glad that they met him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Shklance with human Shiro and mer Lance and mer Keith.
> 
> Tags: Shklance, Mer Keith, Mer Lance, Scars

"Shield"

Shiro was walking along the beach. It was near dusk, so there wasn't anyone else at the beach, which suited Shiro just fine. He wasn't there to visit other people. He had recently met two mischievous mers, who were as fascinated with him as he was with them.

"Shiro!"

Shiro looked up and smiled. There were two heads poking out of the water, one brunette and one raven-haired. He rushed into the water. "Keith! Lance!"

With flicks of a red tail and a blue tail, Keith and Lance swam a little closer. The two mers pulled themselves up on a wide rock that protruded from the water. They kept the ends of their tails in the water while they waited for Shiro to swim to the rock.

Lance grasped Keith's hand, and Keith wrapped an arm around Lance's shoulders, making sure to not touch his back. Lance was very self-conscious about the scar that covered most of his back. He got that when he had protected a younger mer from a electric eel swarm. Keith also had a scar, but his was on his face. There was a stripe on his cheek, a souvenir from a run in with box jellyfish. The tentacles brushed against his cheek, leaving a red welt on the right side of his face.

The two mers weren't the only ones with scars. Shiro had a scar across the bridge of his nose, was missing most of his right arm, and had little slash like scars over his chest and back. He told them they were from his time in the military. He had lost his arm protecting a buddy from a shrapnel explosion, most of which got imbedded in his arm, but a piece did slice his nose, giving him that scar. Due to his sacrifice, Shiro was outfitted with a metal prosthetic that was waterproof. It was meeting the human that allowed the mers to not be completely self-conscious about their scars.

Shiro pulled himself up onto the rock and held his arms open. Keith and Lance released each other and propelled themselves forward to end up in Shiro's arms. He closed his arms around the two mers, holding them close. He loved visiting them but was most excited today as they had promised him something special.

Lance and Keith had looked for a way to share their world with Shiro, and Keith had found it yesterday and had shared his knowledge with Lance. Apparently, a mer's kiss could give a human the ability to breathe underwater for an hour. It was an exciting discovery, one they couldn't wait to share with Shiro.

Fin


	10. Alternative

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith witnesses an alternate version of himself that grew up at the BoM headquarters with his mom and can't help but wonder if he looked more Galran, would she still have left him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is canon compliant and takes place during the two years Keith and Krolia were on the Space Whale in the Quantum Abyss. 
> 
> Tags: Mother and Kit Bonding, Keith wants to be close, Keith needs a hug, Krolia loves her son

"Alternative"

Keith laid down, curled around his cosmic wolf. He had just reconnected with his mom, and, even though he wanted to curl up with her, he didn't want to inconvenience her. He closed his eyes and fell asleep.

%%%

Keith opened his eyes and was surprised that his surroundings weren't the cave on the back of the Space Whale. In fact, it reminded him of the headquarters of the Blade of Marmora.

"Yorak!"

Keith turned around in time to jump out of the way as a Galra ran through the corridor, being chased by another Galra, this one tailed.

"Regris," Keith breathed. He missed his partner. He had been paired with Regris on most of his missions, and they developed a close friendship as a result.

Keith watched as the two Galra accidentally ran into a large Blade, whom Keith recognized as Antok. He watched a bit fearfully. He knew Antok could be rough; what would he do to them? To Keith's surprise, Antok chuckled and scooped up Regris and his companion. When he started carrying them off somewhere, Keith had to run to catch up. He followed the large Blade but watched Regris and Yorak interact. It was also when Keith realized that he couldn't be seen as the two younger Galra looked in his direction and neither one commented on his presence.

Yorak looked a lot like his mom for some reason. He looked exactly like a male version of her actually. Keith came to the startling realization that this Yorak was an alternate version of himself, one that looked more Galran and had been taken into space instead of staying on Earth.

Keith followed them into a room that was filled with blankets and pillows. He saw and recognized the Galra sitting in among the pillows. It was Krolia!

"Mama!" Yorak leaped from Antok's shoulder and tucked himself under Krolia's chin.

Krolia purred to Yorak. "My kit."

Keith turned his back to the scene, willing himself not to cry. He wanted that familiarity with his mom, to be able to cuddle up with her.

%%%

Keith wasn't sleeping soundly; Krolia could tell. She was disturbed by the tears that slid down his cheeks and the little whimpers he made. She immediately crossed the cave to kneel by his side. She gently shook his shoulder. "Keith! Keith, wake up!"

Her movements caused the cosmic wolf to awaken, and he stood at Keith's side, whining and nosing his neck. The combined efforts of Krolia and the wolf were enough to rouse Keith, who awoke with a loud whine.

Krolia looked at Keith, who still had tears in his eyes, and drew him close to her chest. Keith whimpered and tucked himself under her chin like he had seen the alternate version of himself do.

"Keith, what happened?"

"I saw an alternate version of us. I looked more Galran and you apparently took me with you and raised me at headquarters. He called you Mama and sat like this."

"It sounds like it was nice for that version." Krolia looked at her son and could tell something was bothering him about what he saw. "But there's something else bothering you?"

"I can't help but think that you'd love me more if I looked more Galran."

"Oh, kit, no. I love you because you are Keith, my son, my sweet boy. I don't care whether you look more Galran or more human. I love you because you are you." Krolia purred to her son and wrapped her arms around him a bit tighter. "Why don't you get more rest, kit? I will keep an eye on you."

Keith snuggled a little further into Krolia's chest and gave a soft sigh. "All right...Mama."

Keith's eyes drifted closed, and his breathing evened out, becoming soft purrs of a sleeping kit. Krolia gently nosed his hair. She hoped she convinced her beloved kit that she loved him, because she loved him more than life itself and would willingly give her life if it spared his.

Fin


	11. Fiancée (Klance, DoM) *

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Galtean Klance Bodyguard AU where Keith's pack comes to visit and meet Keith's fiancée.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Galtean Klance and was suggested by KitCat1995.
> 
> Tags: Klance, Galra Keith, Altean Lance, Bodyguard Keith, Prince Lance, DoM, Request

"Fianceé"

Keith was uncharacteristically nervous, more nervous than he was when he proposed to Lance. It made Lance wonder what was going on.

"Keith?"

Keith literally jumped, his feet leaving the floor and his tail fluffing out. "Lance?"

"Oh my! I didn't mean to startle you," Lance said, rubbing Keith's ears to soothe him. "You just seem distracted."

Keith melted into Lance's arms, purring, which was heard in his voice. "I am. My Dads are coming for a visit. They want to meet you."

"Who are your Dads?"

"Thace and Ulaz but Kolivan and Antok are coming with them."

"Why do they want to meet me?"

"Because you're my fianceé."

Lance's eyes were drawn to his left finger when Keith said this. "Your fianceé. It has a nice ring to it."

Keith's violet irised eyes locked onto Lance's blue eyes, his tail wrapped around Lance's waist, and he whispered, "It'd be even nicer to call you my husband."

Lance blushed, his Altean marks glowing in response. "When are they arriving?"

"Kit!"

"Now."

Lance turned to see four Galra heading in their direction. He noticed that two of the Galra looked very similar in reference to fur color, one of them having a tail very similar to Keith's. Another one of them reminded Lance of Keith's fur color, while yet another one (the one who called out) had ears just like Keith's.

The one with ears like Keith's who had violet colored fur was close enough to scoop up Keith in a tight hug. "Oh, kit. We've missed you at home."

"Dad, I'm glad to know you missed me, but put me down."

"Nope."

Lance couldn't help but laugh. The four Galra turned to face Lance, whose face was slowly turning red from laughing too hard. Keith finally managed to get down from Thace's arms and gracefully landed in front of Lance. He rubbed Lance's back. "Come on, your highness. Breathe."

Lance gulped lung fulls of air. "I'm okay. I'm okay."

Keith nuzzled Lance's neck. "Good."

"Keith, kit, aren't you going to introduce us?" the pale Galra asked.

Keith grinned and wrapped his tail around Lance's waist. "This is Lance, my fianceé. Lance, this is Kolivan, Antok, Thace, and Ulaz. They are my pack, my family."

Lance looked at each Galra as Keith introduced them, pointing at who was who. "Welcome to Altea. I am Prince Lance."

Keith shook his head, his black hair swinging from the motion. "They know you're the prince, idiot."

"Aw, you love me though."

Keith sighed and purred to him. "I do."

"May we see your ring?" Kolivan inquired.

Lance held out his left hand, showing off his engagement ring. It was a sapphire band with a trio of light amethysts set into it. The four Blades gathered around, Ulaz gently grasping Lance's hand and turning it left and right. He nodded and released his hand. He turned to Keith. "You chose a good ring, kit."

"He chose a good guy," Lance chuckled.

Keith rolled his violet eyes, the irises standing out in the yellow sclera. It was then that Antok noticed his kit's red cape that went down to Keith's waist. "Kit, what's this?"

Antok reached out and gently touched Keith's cape. Keith smiled. "King Alfor gave me this as a symbol of my status as Lance's fianceé."

"I think it should be longer," Lance piped up.

"You only think that so you can hide under it," Keith quipped.

The Blades watched as their kit and his fianceé good naturedly squabble. It was easy to tell that they were a good match.

Fin


	12. A Little Trust (Age Regression)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith wakes up in between head spaces. He hopes there won't be an attack to defend against, but he's wrong. At least Mama Red won't let her cub get hurt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is age regression with Little Keith, Mama Red, and Caregiver Shiro.
> 
> Tags: Age regression, Little Keith, Mama Red Lion, Caregiver Shiro

"A Little Trust"

Keith woke up in between head spaces. He knew it wasn't a good thing, but there wasn't anything he could do. He put on a pull up and got dressed in his normal clothes. He decided to forgo morning training and get some breakfast instead. He just hoped there wouldn't be any attacks today.

%%%

Keith hated being wrong when he _wasn't_ in little space. When he was in little space, it made him want to cry. He hurried to his lion, who purred to her Paladin. He purred back and, when he felt her nudge at their bond, opened his mind to her. Red appeared in her fluffy lioness form, but Keith, instead of appearing as his usual seven-year-old self, appeared as a four-year-old. He toddled over to her. "Mama."

"It's okay, my cub. You stay here, and I'll fly. After that, I'll take care of you."

"Okay, Mama." Keith snuggled against Red's soft fur, purring.

Red curled around her little Paladin and groomed his hair as she flew and took care of any enemies that were in the way. Fortunately, they didn't have to form Voltron, especially since it wouldn't work because Keith had retreated into his bond with Red, where the other Paladins couldn't reach him, and was little.

Once the battle was over, Red flew back into the castle and landed in her hangar. Keith left the cockpit but not the hangar. He waited for Red to transform into her real lioness form. Once he had his Mama with him, he let her take him to his room. She kept her tail wrapped around his waist as she guided him into his room.

When the door closed behind them, she carefully helped him undo and take off his armor and flight suit. She pulled out his little bag and got out a pair of elastic waisted pants. He was able to change into the pants and his usual t-shirt. She laid down in his nest and beckoned him over. He toddled over and plopped into the nest, curling up with her. "Mama."

%%%

Shiro was concerned about Keith. His flying was different, almost as if he wasn't the one flying, but why would Red prevent her Paladin from flying? He didn't know but was going to find out. He made his way over to Keith's room and knocked on the door. "Keith, are you in there?"

"'Kashi?"

Shiro opened the door, recognizing the voice of his little. He stepped into the room but stopped short at the sight of the red, fluffy lioness curled around Keith in his nest. "Keith?"

"'Kashi, Mama take care of me."

"Mama?" Shiro studied the lioness and realized who it was. "I'm sure Red is a good Mama for you."

"I love her."

"Love you, too, cub," Red replied before grooming Keith's hair.

Shiro backed out of the room, content to let Red watch over Keith, especially since he seemed to trust her. Trust was very important to a little, Keith especially, and once you earned his trust, it was easy to keep.

Fin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the lateness of this chapter. This morning was really hard emotionally and physically. If you wish to hear about it, ask on my Tumblr rubymoon-snape


	13. Assassin (DoM) *

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A game of Assassin. The BoM are doing wonderfully until the Paladins show up, and Lance ambushes them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Keith raised by the BoM. Keith is about five in the first part. This was suggested by Tayzx101.
> 
> Tags: DoM, Game as training, Kit Keith, Galra Keith, Keith raised by the BoM, Paladin Keith, Lance isn't the Sharpshooter for nothing, Request

"Assassin"

Keith peeked around the corner, his grip tightening on his blaster. His violet eyes darted from one side of the adjoining corridor to the other, and seeing no one, the boy tiptoed around the corner and into the shadows of the next corridor. He was trying to blend into the shadows to avoid detection. It was one of the rules. Avoid detection and hit his targets. His targets were the other members of his pack, Kolivan, Antok, Thace, Ulaz, and Regris. Each one was armed with a blaster, but the blasters didn't fire lasers or lead bullets but vividly colored balls of paint; a different color for each member of the pack. Kolivan had red, Antok had blue, Thace had purple, Ulaz had green, Regris had orange, and Keith had white.

Keith had been very adept at avoiding getting hit and was devoid of any color on his clothes. All of the other members of his pack had other colors marking their clothes but not Keith.

Suddenly, a flash of blue flew past his head, splattering on the wall behind him. Keith's eyes landed on the largest member of his pack, who had his blaster aimed at Keith. Keith grinned and escaped into a nearby vent. He quietly crawled through the ventilation system. Knowing he couldn't stay in there, he located an exit and dropped out of the vent system, landing a shot on Kolivan, who just grinned and leveled his blaster at the kit.

Keith dove out of the way, only to be hit by an orange paint ball. Keith paused in shock as he had been shot for the first time by his pack brother, looking down at his chest. It was centered on his torso. He lifted his head to meet Regris's grinning face. His expression changed from shock to mischievous in less than a tick, and Keith shot his brother and their leader before bounding out of the room.

Kolivan and Regris looked at themselves and then each other before turning to look out the empty door. They heard the pretend outraged voices of the rest of the pack before they grinned, Regris laughing. The youngest kit was good at this.

%%%

The Paladins were of conflicting opinions about joint training sessions with the Blades. Keith, Shiro, and Allura loved them. Pidge and Hunk would rather be messing with tech, and Lance didn't care for them, since the Blades were worse taskmasters than Allura had been when they first arrived at the castle.

Lance was dragging his feet as he made his way to the training deck. He shot a glare at his team mates, especially Keith. He was almost bouncing on his feet like he couldn't wait to get to training. His glare sharpened at Keith's giddiness.

"If you are so excited to train, why don't you go ahead of us?"

Keith grinned. "I'm only excited because I know what training exercise we are going to be doing."

Lance sighed. "Sounds like Mullet all right. Excited about training."

Keith frowned. "You are going to eat those words when you find out what we're doing."

"We'll see about that." With Lance having said that, the group entered the training deck and was surprised to see all five of the Blades in there with blasters in their claws and six more laying at their feet.

Keith chirped and grabbed one of the blasters. He checked the color of his ammo and was pleasantly surprised to see that he got the same color he always had at home. He looked up at his pack and grinned.

"Welcome, Paladins. Please select a blaster for the training exercise," Kolivan stated.

The other five Paladins (including Allura) quickly dispersed the remaining blasters amongst themselves.

"Now, please check the color of your ammo and state what color you have," Thace continued.

"I have pink," Allura said.

"Yellow," Hunk spoke up.

"I ended up with tan," Shiro added.

"I got magenta," Pidge remarked.

Lance looked at his ammo. "Ooo. I have aqua."

Kolivan replied, "Red."

Antok retorted, "Blue."

"Purple," Thace added.

"Green," Ulaz acknowledged.

Regris responded with, "Orange."

Keith grinned. "White."

Lance's eyes widened in realization. "Are we doing a _shooting_ exercise?!"

Keith's grin grew bigger. "Told you so, Sharpshooter."

"I'll give you that one, Mullet. So," Lance twirled his blaster. "When do we start?"

%%%

The Blades realized they _may_ have made a mistake inviting the Paladins, specifically Lance, to join this...game of theirs. If they thought _Keith_ was good, then Lance was on another level altogether. He shot everyone, even Keith sported Lance's aqua colored ammo! He did this all without getting hit himself. However, it went from a fun exercise to a game of cat and mouse with Lance as the cat.

Kolivan and Antok exchanged looks of dread as they edged along the corridor. They had decided to team up together in order to not get taken down by the Blue Paladin like Thace and Ulaz were. They had lost sight of Keith and Regris, but they had to still be in the castle.

They saw the Yellow and Green Paladins in the corridor. The Yellow Paladin was collapsed, covered in all of the colors of everyone's ammo. The Green Paladin was escaping into the ventilation system. They noticed she had spots of color as well. They shook their heads at the futility of her actions. She couldn't stay in there, and when she came out, she would get tagged by Lance...and maybe Keith.

A little further down the corridor, hushed voices could be heard. From what Kolivan and Antok could hear, it appeared that Shiro and Allura had also teamed up, but to take down Lance, they needed to keep their voices down, so he wouldn't hear their plan.

They continued to creep along the corridor, which was strangely quiet and darker than normal. The Blades weren't worried as they had excellent night vision. Somehow, they missed Lance creeping up on them.

"I win." Lance pulled the trigger.

Fin


	14. Rest (DoM)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All three of Krolia's kits return from their missions tired and needing rest. Fortunately, she knows how to get them to rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is an AU where the Blades survived. Regris, Keith, and Acxa are considered their kits. Krolia is here as their mother, and Acxa is Keith's twin sister.
> 
> Tags: DoM, Missions, Sleepy kits

"Rest"

Keith trudged into headquarters, tired after his mission. At least he wasn't alone; Acxa was by his side. He was so glad that his sister was going on missions with him. He really wanted to curl up with his mom though.

Acxa kept an arm around her twin. She could feel how tired he was and was afraid that he'd collapse any tick. She just hoped he'd be able to make it to the nest.

%%%

Krolia was reclined in the familial nest with Regris curled up against her side. He had had a close call on his latest mission and had needed comfort. She hadn't liked that all of the kits were sent of missions by themselves, but she hadn't had a choice in the matter.

Suddenly, the door opened, and her twins walked in, Acxa supporting her younger brother. The tick Keith saw Krolia, he whimpered. "Mama."

"Keith." Krolia reached out, and Keith swiftly entered the nest and tucked himself under her chin.

Acxa entered the nest and settled beside Regris, noticing the older kit was still unsettled. She groomed his headfur and purred to him. He relaxed a little, sensing his siblings were nearby.

Krolia just held her youngest kit. She could tell how tired he was from how he snuggled against her. She purred to him. "Just rest, my kit. I'm here. I've got you."

Keith let his eyes drift closed, a soft purr escaping him as he fell asleep. Krolia let a hand drift down to the other two kits curled up on her other side. She stroked their headfur, earning purrs from them. "Go ahead and get some rest, you two. You deserve it just as much as your brother."

"Okay, Mama," Acxa replied. All three kits were touching some part of each other. Acxa curled around Regris with her head in Keith's lap. Regris was tucked against his sister and had his tail draped across Keith's legs.

Krolia sighed softly when she heard the purrs of three sleeping kits. She had hoped she would be able to get them to relax. Nothing was better at relaxing kits than cuddles in the familial nest, especially with their mom.

Fin


	15. Bouncing (DoM, Thulaz, Antolivan)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The DoM take their two little kits (Keith and Regris) to an indoor trampoline park designed specially for kits and the kits have a blast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Keith as the full blooded kit of Thace and Ulaz. Regris is Kolivan's and Antok's kit. This is Thulaz and Antolivan.
> 
> Tags: DoM, Thulaz, Antolivan, Trampolines, Pack, Galra Keith, Kit Keith, Kit Regris

"Bouncing"

Kolivan, Antok, Thace, and Ulaz accompanied their kits to a trampoline park. Thace was holding a kit with short, pale lavender fur; solid gold eyes; and large, fluffy ears, whose name was Keith. Antok had ahold of his kit, whose name was Regris, who had short fur the same color as his Dads; a long tail; large, fluffy ears; and the same gold eyes as his pack brother. Kolivan and Antok were biological Dads to Regris, while Thace and Ulaz were Keith's biological Dads.

The tick they entered the building, the kits squirmed in their Dads' arms. Keith's golden eyes lit up as they took in all the different areas. There was a large area that looked like a patchwork of trampoline squares with a slanted wall to bounce off of. In a sectioned off area was a spinning, two armed beam that had to jumped over or it would knock them off their feet, which would cause them to land on a trampoline. There were three foam pits with various ways to fall/jump in. One way was to jump in via a flat trampoline, another way was to jump in via a slanted trampoline, and a third way was to to jump off the diving board. In a separate foam pit, one would hold onto a trapeze bar before releasing their grip and landing in the pit. In the last section were two balance beams that two opponents tried to knock each other off of with long bags with handles.

Keith looked at Thace. "Daddy, can we go?"

Thace looked over at Antok, who nodded and set his kit down. Thace followed suite, setting Keith on his feet. "Go ahead, kits. Have fun."

A pair of fangs flashed before they dashed off. Ulaz chuckled as his kit and his pack brother flung themselves into one of the foam pits. He leaned against his mate, and Thace wrapped his arms around Ulaz as a sign of affection as well as to keep him from hovering over Keith. Ulaz was quite protective of their kit. It was something he had in common with Antok. The large Galra was very protective of his kit, which did extend to the other kit of his pack as well. With Antok watching them, no one dared mess with the kits.

%%%

Keith was having a little bit of an issue getting out of the foam pit, so Regris used his tail to let him have a life line. Keith used his brother's tail to help him out of the pit.

Keith was surprised with himself as he was enjoying jumping and flipping on these trampolines. He even bounced off the slanted wall with a wide grin on his face, showing off his little fangs. He had lost sight of his Dads but knew that they wouldn't leave him there and that they were more than likely nearby. He bounced on an out of the way trampoline; higher and higher before doing a flip and catching sight of his Dads. He waved as he flipped. Ulaz waved back, while Thace grinned.

Regris had his tail wrapped around his waist, so it wouldn't get in his way as he bounced. The last thing he wanted was to land on his tail. He had done that before, and it was painful. He had needed cuddles from his Dad, who sympathized with him. He knew what that felt like. He had done something similar in his youth. Antok wrapped his tail around Kolivan's waist as he watched his kit having fun.

"This was a good idea, wasn't it, my mate?" Kolivan asked.

"Indeed it was. Our kits are having fun...and so is Thace and Ulaz."

Thace and Ulaz were on the balance beams with the bags in their claws, clearly trying to knock each other off and into the pit below. It was almost as if Thace and Ulaz were being deadly serious until you caught sight of their grins, but even then, it still looked serious. They taunted each other and very carefully chose their stances and whether they dodged or blocked their opponent's attack. It was several doboshes of this back and forth before Thace got the upper hand and knocked Ulaz into the foam pit with a soft war cry. Thace grinned and gave an exaggerated bow before Ulaz knocked him off his feet from the foam pit, and the violet furred Galra landed in the foam pit on the other side of the balance beam.

Kolivan grinned as he watched the other couple act like a couple of kits and relaxed against his mate. This was a good idea, even though it was originally just for their kits.

Fin


	16. Tired (DoM, Broganes)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith has a nightmare due to his recently emerged Galran features, and he seeks out Shiro during the night. Shiro reassures him, allowing him to fall back asleep. Allura sees the two of them asleep on the bridge and takes it upon herself to move them in order to let them rest easier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, and Antok survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. They don't make an appearance but are mentioned. This is also broganes with a more Galran looking Keith.
> 
> Tags: DoM, Broganes, Galra Keith, Nightmare, Resting

"Tired"

Keith awoke with a gasp. His breaths were coming in pants, his ears were folded against his skull (almost disappearing into his fluffy hair), and his tail was twitching. He clutched his blanket to his chest and tried to calm his breathing. It was just a nightmare, no matter how real it felt. His pack and team weren't going to leave him just because he didn't look purely human or Galran. He knew that, but he also knew that he wasn't going to get back to sleep by himself. He wrapped his fluffiest blanket around his shoulders and left his room.

%%%

The bridge of the Castle of Lions was eerily quiet in the middle of the night. Shiro hadn't thought a room would be creepy, but this one was. Maybe it was the low hum of the Balmeran crystal or maybe it was the missing murmur of the rest of the Paladins. Whatever it was, it set the Black Paladin on edge.

Maybe Shiro shouldn't have taken a midnight shift when he hadn't been getting enough sleep as it was, because he started dozing off in his Paladin seat.

The door to the bridge opened, and Keith approached the lightly dozing leader. He shifted on his feet. He didn't really want to wake Shiro if he was actually sleeping, but he needed the comfort of his brother. "Nii-san?"

Keith's voice startled Shiro awake. He quickly looked over his shoulder. "Ototo? What's wrong?"

Keith still hesitated. He didn't want to sound weak, even though Shiro had comforted him through many nightmares before.

Shiro took a good look at Keith's posture and instantly knew what he wanted. He held his arms open. "Come here, Keith."

Keith saw the invitation and took the opportunity to sit on Shiro's lap. He sighed in contentment, hearing Shiro's heartbeat in the ear he had pressed against his chest. Shiro carded his left hand through Keith's hair.

Keith snuggled into Shiro's chest, but he felt like he needed verbal confirmation that his dream wouldn't come true. "'Kashi?"

"Yes, Keith?"

"You don't mind that I look more Galran, right? I won't get kicked off the team because I don't look like I used to?"

"Keith, I don't care if you looked like a pure blooded Galra. You are still my little brother. None of us care that your Galra heritage is more obvious now. You are the Red Paladin, and you're not getting kicked off the team. Besides, I don't think Red would allow it." Shiro noticed the lingering doubt on Keith's face. "Also, the Blades don't care that you don't look full Galra either. They love you, because you are you. They took you under their wings, and you are pack to them. They will never abandon you, and neither will we."

"Thanks, nii-san." Keith yawned.

Shiro wrapped the blanket and his arms around Keith. "Get some rest, ototo. I'll be here when you wake up."

Keith's eyes closed, and his posture relaxed as he fell asleep, firmly ensconced in his brother's arms. Shiro tried to stay awake for his midnight shift, but it was hard with Keith's comforting weight and his body heat. Without meaning to, Shiro fell asleep.

%%%

When Allura stepped onto the bridge that morning, she was not expecting to see her Black and Red Paladins sleeping in the Black Paladin seat. It was adorable though, especially with Keith purring. She took a few pictures with her data pad and sent them to the rest of the team, Coran, and the four members of Keith's pack. She tucked it away before she shifted. She grew in size, so she could safely carry both sleeping Paladins at the same time.

It was difficult to get them out of the Black Paladin seat without disturbing either of them, but she managed to do that. She carefully carried them to the lounge and laid them on the couch. She paused when Keith stopped purring and whined a little. She quickly realized that his blanket had slipped off of him. When she situated the blanket back over him, she realized why Keith liked the blanket. It felt like Galra fur and was weighted as well. Allura smiled and couldn't help but pet Keith's hair, causing him to resume purring. Allura only stayed for another dobosh or two before leaving the Paladins to continue resting.

%%%

Shiro opened his eyes slowly. He recognized the lounge, but wasn't he just on the bridge? Keith was still on his chest, covered with his weighted fuzzy blanket. He didn't want to move while Keith was still sleeping. He carefully fished his data pad out of his pocket and was surprised to see that he had a couple of similar messages, one from Pidge and one from Ulaz.

The messages had a picture of him and Keith asleep in the Black Paladin seat and text stating that they looked adorable sleeping there with Ulaz adding the line that they shouldn't sleep in chairs because it wasn't good for their health.

Just then, Coran entered the lounge and noticed that Shiro was awake but not Keith. He instantly quieted his voice. "Good morning, Shiro. I trust you had a good rest."

"Did you move us, Coran?"

"Ah, no, Number One. That was Allura. She's also the one who sent everyone these pictures." Coran showed Shiro all the pictures Allura had sent him.

Shiro blushed and tightened his hold on Keith. "Keith's not going to be happy that people have seen these."

"He'd have a problem with it, even though it's just the team and his pack?"

Shiro stopped and thought about the conversation he had with Keith the previous night. He combed his fingers through Keith's hair and replied, "Maybe not."

"I'll leave you two be. The princess said you two need rest. She's ordering an easy quintant for everyone unless there's an attack."

"You should lock the training deck then," Shiro muttered.

"Allura's already taken care of that," Coran stated before he left the lounge.

"Not funny, Shiro," Keith groused but didn't open his eyes.

Shiro grinned at his brother and petted his hair. "It's true, ototo, but just go back to sleep. It's all right."

Keith grumbled under his breath but snuggled against Shiro's chest anyway. Shiro chuckled and tucked Keith's weighted fuzzy blanket around him but wasn't surprised to feel Keith's tail wrap around one of his legs. He had learned that it was a sign that Keith didn't want the person he was snuggling with to go anywhere. Shiro had no intention of leaving his brother any time that quintant anyway.

Fin


	17. Freeze Tag (DoM, Thulaz, Team as Family) *

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Paladins play freeze tag.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, and Antok survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. This is Thulaz and was suggested by xXkitsuneknightXx.
> 
> Tags: DoM, Thulaz, Team as family, Paladins are seen as kits by the Blades, Request

"Freeze Tag"

The Paladins were gathered on the training deck, which surprised the Princess. Normally, all five didn't show up unless she told them to bond as a team, but this didn't look like any training she was used to. They were just trying to stay away from Pidge, who kept chasing after them. How were they supposed to form Voltron if they were avoiding one of their fellow Paladins?

%%%

Shiro had to admit that Lance and Hunk had a good idea for the team to let off some steam by playing a game on the training deck, which was empty at the moment. Keith had been on his way there, so roping him into the game wasn't too hard. They just had to explain the rules. (Lance had a heart attack, when Keith said he never played freeze tag...or tag in general). Shiro had never seen Keith smile so much before. The Red Paladin seemed to be having fun, especially since he was physically the fastest on the team and no one could catch him.

Suddenly, Shiro felt a tap on his back. He looked at the grinning Pidge who had used his moment of distraction to tag him. Shiro grinned before he froze in place, hoping someone would come by and unfreeze him. He allowed himself to take in the scene before him. He watched as Pidge alternated between chasing Hunk and Lance, and once in a while, when he was close enough, she'd lunge at Keith to try and touch him. She usually missed, him dancing away with a broad grin on his face.

It was then that Shiro realized that Allura was standing just inside the training deck doors, watching the game with the most confused look on her face. He couldn't figure out why she looked confused. The rules of the game were straight forward. Even someone as socially awkward as Keith understood them. Just stay away from... _ooooh._ Then, Shiro understood. It probably looked like they were trying to avoid Pidge, which they were, but Allura probably didn't realize it was a game.

Shiro felt another tap but this time on his shoulder. A quick look told him that Keith was the one who freed him as he watched the Red Paladin sped off to free Hunk, who had been tagged by Pidge. Shiro knew he couldn't just slip away from the rest of the Paladins to explain it to the princess, but surely she'll either ask what was going on or leave. The Black Paladin turned his attention back to the game and missed the entrance of the four visitors Allura had come to tell the Paladins about before she got distracted by their antics.

%%%

Kolivan, Antok, Thace, and Ulaz stared at the Paladins. Shiro, Lance, Hunk, and Keith seemed to be trying to stay away from Pidge, with only their kit succeeding. Why would they try to avoid their team mate? It seemed a poor way of bonding, but the smiles on their faces indicated that everyone _including_ Pidge were having great time. Thace stepped forward and let out a loud growl, stopping the Paladins in their tracks. Keith's head turned in their direction, and he let out a questioning noise.

"What were you five doing?" Ulaz questioned.

Keith came closer to his pack. "It was a game called...hey, Lance! What was the name again?"

"Freeze tag! Seriously, Mullet, it's _not_ a complicated name."

"I've never played it before, okay?"

Lance clutched a hand to his chest. "Don't remind me!"

"It was a game?" came a hesitant question from behind the Blades. "So, you _weren't_ trying to avoid Pidge out of malice?"

Keith looked over and saw relief on Allura's face. "Yes, princess. It was a game. We like Pidge too much to avoid her."

"A game?" Antok cocked his head to the side. "How old are you Paladins?"

"Hunk and I are seventeen," Lance answered.

"Fifteen," Pidge said with a shrug.

"You know I'm eighteen," Keith replied.

"I'm twenty-five," Shiro stated.

"No, you're not," Lance corrected. "You're six."

Shiro groaned. "I regret telling you my birthdate."

Ulaz let out a whine. _"Six?!_ You're six?!"

Keith purred to Ulaz. "Lance was making a joke. Shiro is twenty-five."

Ulaz didn't look convinced, so Thace gathered him into his arms and nuzzled his mate's neck. "It's all right, Laz. The kits are playing a game. When they are done, they can come rest in our nest."

Keith snickered and jumped to the side to avoid the swat from Thace but couldn't escape the one from Antok's tail. "Hey!"

"Don't laugh at your team, kit. Now, go play. We'll see you and the other kits when you are done playing," Antok stated.

Keith hurried back onto the main floor of the training deck. "Okay, guys. Who's it now?"

"Someone other than me," Pidge commented.

"I'll do it!" Lance volunteered. "Go spread out. I want a good challenge!"

Allura and the Blades watched as the Paladins started another game of freeze tag, this time with Lance as the one they were avoiding. Kolivan addressed Allura. "Princess, may we have a large amount of pillows and blankets? We are going to build a large nest in the lounge for all of the kits to rest in."

Allura suppressed a giggle. "The only Paladin that's truly a kit is Keith. The others are human, who don't have as long a lifespan."

"Nevertheless, we will still have them rest in the nest. They may not live as long as Galra or Alteans, but they are still young," Kolivan responded.

Allura grinned. "Of course. Follow me, and I'll show you where the excess supplies are. You can take what you want."

Thace led Ulaz out of the training deck, following the princess, with Antok right behind them. Kolivan paused for a dobosh and looked over his shoulder at the group of kits, the corners of his lips twitching at Lance's failed attempt at getting Keith.

Fin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note 2: The Paladins were so tired after several rounds of freeze tag that they didn't even want to move. The Blades simply picked up the sleepy kits, Kolivan carrying Keith and Pidge at the same time. The Blades set the Paladins into the large nest they constructed. They had attempted to leave the kits in the nest to rest, but the Paladins prevented them from leaving by gripping tightly to some feature of the Blade closest to them. Keith had a hold of Kolivan's braid, while Pidge had her head buried in his neck. Hunk had a firm grip on Antok's tail. Lance had his hands buried in Thace's headfur, while Shiro did the same with Ulaz's headfur. The Blades admitted defeat and stayed with these kits, inadvertantly falling asleep as well. Allura checked in on them a few doboshes later and smiled. She couldn't help but take pictures of the scene and sent copies to everyone's data pads.


	18. Belly of the Weblum (Mama Krolia)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith and Hunk go into a Weblum to get scaultrite, much to Krolia's displeasure. Keith has a stroke of luck when he meets someone in the first stomach of the Weblum.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is the twenty-fifth story of the Mama Krolia series. It takes place a couple days after the twenty-fourth story. Regris is 24, Lotor is 23, Ezor is 21, and Acxa and Keith are 18. 
> 
> Tags: Mama Krolia, VLD Timeline, DoM, Reunions

"Belly of The Weblum"

Keith couldn't believe that he was going to fly into the stomach of a Weblum to gather scaultrite. His Dads had been rightfully horrified to learn that their kit was being sent on this mission. Krolia, on the other hand, had refused to let him go.

%%% Flashback Begins

"No! He will not be sent into one of those giant death monsters! He's just a kit!" Krolia exclaimed.

"Mom, it's okay. You heard what Coran said. If any one of us fails, the entire plan fails. Besides, I've got Hunk with me." Keith nuzzled his mom, who gave tiny licks to his visible cheek stripes. "I'll be fine."

"I know you will, my kit, but it's my job to worry about you."

"I love you, Mom. I'll see you when we get back."

"Love you too, Keith."

%%% Flashback Ends

Even though he assured his Mom that he'd be fine, it was still dangerous. Moreso since the video Coran uploaded seemed to be corroded due to its age and caused them to be missing some very important information. Fortunately, Yellow Lion had strong armor, and Hunk could activate the armor claws, allowing them to attach to the Weblum in its blind spot. They entered the Weblum, and Keith had to talk Hunk down from the panic attack he almost had. Following that, they were almost immediately beset by flying jellyfish looking creatures that had acid defenses. 

Keith and Hunk got separated as they battled the creatures, Keith having to dive into stomach acid to escape them. He was dumped out and was free falling. He managed to land on the hull of a trapped ship.

"What the-impossible." He stood up, materialized his sword, and sliced through the cord wrapped around the ship. "Don't move. I'm here to help." He stabbed the hatch of the cockpit with sword, which fell away when he pulled his sword back. Keith held his hand out, which the pilot grabbed. Keith pulled the pilot up and close. He saw a familiar symbol on the helmet and gasped. Keith yanked forward on the arm he was holding, grabbed the gun, and aimed it at the pilot. "You're Galra."

More of the jellyfish looking creatures appeared at that moment causing Keith to growl. "Not those things again."

The pilot pulled up a screen from their forearm panel and started typing on it.

Keith asked, "What are you doing?! You're turning this ship into a bomb."

Both jumped off the ship as the creatures attacked and swarmed the ship, which then exploded. Keith activated his shield to protect not only him but the Galra pilot as well. The explosion pushed them through a wall, and both of them landed face down. The next thing Keith knew, the pilot was rushing towards him and tackled him, grabbing back the gun as Keith flipped them off. They fired three times in rapid succession while Keith manifested his shield. However, the blasts didn't hit him; they took care of the three creatures that were approaching from behind Keith.

"I guess you can keep your weapon."

The pilot lightened their helmet tint, and Keith gasped. "Acxa, is that really you?"

Acxa took a real good look at Keith and gasped as well. "Keith?"

The twins hugged each other. Keith asked, "How did you get trapped here?"

"I was sent to gather scaultrite for Lotor," Acxa mentioned.

"How are Lotor and Ezor?" At his twin's confused look, Keith added, "Our Mom and Dads said you guys were together."

"They're doing good as far as I know. I just need to gather some scaultrite, so I can make it back to them."

"You're in luck because my friend and I are here to get scaultrite too."

"Who is your friend, and what are you wearing?"

"I'm the Red Paladin of Voltron, and my friend is Hunk, the Yellow Paladin of Voltron. We got separated and are supposed to meet up in the third stomach. Let's go." Keith grabbed his twin's hand, tugging her along.

%%%

It didn't take long for Keith and Acxa to reach the third stomach, and, to Keith's delight, Hunk was already there.

"Keith! You made it! We both made it! Who's this?"

"This is Acxa, my twin sister. We grew up together at the Blades' headquarters. Acxa, this is Hunk, Yellow Paladin of Voltron." Keith stage whispered, "Careful. He a hugger."

Acxa grinned. She was glad that her brother was with someone who would gladly give him affection.

"Uh, that may be true, but this isn't a time for hugs. Look!" Hunk pointed at a large group of the creatures that had been attacking them since they entered the weblum.

Keith sliced through several of the creatures and used his shield to physically block a stream of others, while Acxa shot several with her blaster. Hunk had taken a bunch out as well when they stopped attacking. There was a whirlwind of some sort that took a lot of them out. Hunk figured out what he needed to do in order for Keith to collect the scaultrite.

Once Hunk got the weblum to activate its blue laser (and stayed out of its path), Keith collected and bagged the scaultrite. He handed Acxa a full bag. "Here. This is yours, sis. Take it back to our siblings."

Acxa flung her arms around Keith's neck and bumped their helmets together. "I'm going to miss you, but I'm glad we got to see each other again."

"I told you we would. Tell Lotor and Ezor hi and give them hugs for me."

"Hopefully, I'll see you soon, brother." Acxa squeezed Keith before releasing him and taking the bag he offered her.

He watched her leave with a heavy heart before radioing Hunk to pick him up. Once he and all the scaultrite were aboard the Yellow Lion, Keith entered the cockpit and yanked off his helmet, staring at his stripes in the reflective surface. He wished he could have nuzzled his twin before they parted again.

"Hey, where's your twin?"

Keith whined softly. "She had to go. By the way, Hunk, you really came through in a clutch back there. Without you, the mission would have been a failure."

"Aw, thanks, Galra Keith."

Keith rolled his eyes. He knew Hunk didn't mean anything by the nickname. "Just get us back to the castle. I need my pack."

Hunk cocked his head. "Do you need a hug?"

"Please."

Hunk set his lion on autopilot and wrapped his arms around Keith, pulling him onto his lap. Keith nuzzled Hunk's shoulder, relishing in the contact. Hunk rubbed his back, and Keith started purring. Fortunately, Yellow could fly herself, because Keith didn't want to be put down. He missed his siblings a lot, especially Lotor, Ezor, and Acxa. He hadn't got to be truly reunited with them since he had been sent to Earth. He was glad to have half of his pack with him back at the castle ship, but he longed for his pack to be whole.

Having to jump immediately into a battle with a robeast they had previously fought and thought had been defeated by the Balmera they saved was not what Keith and Hunk had expected. Keith had to get to his lion, but Yellow had been blasted by the robeast's beam and was rendered temporarily inoperable. However, seeing how close they were to the castle, Keith figured he'd just jet pack over and get Red. He didn't expect to be hit by the robeast's beam, but Red came to his rescue.

Once the team formed Voltron, the robeast was dispatched with relative speed, and they were able to enter their hangars back at the castle. Keith and Hunk unloaded all the bags of scaultrite they had collected. Allura was pleased with how much they collected and thanked both Paladins. "Hunk, Keith, thank you so much for collecting the scaultrite."

"You're welcome, Princess. Can we go wash up? The inside of a weblum is not what I want to smell like." Keith wiggled his nose. The smell was starting to get to him.

"Oh yes. Of course. Go wash and change."

Keith quickly departed and practically dove into his shower. He definitely wanted this disgusting smell off of him and scrubbed every inch of skin and his hair multiple times until there was no hint of the smell left. He dried off and threw on some comfortable clothes, padding barefoot to his pack's room. He chirped when he saw Krolia, Kolivan, Antok, Ulaz, and Regris all in the nest, apparently waiting for him. He entered the nest and tucked himself under his mom's chin, whimpering slightly, which worried the pack.

"What's wrong, my kit?" Krolia asked, nosing Keith's hair.

"While Hunk and I were in the weblum, I met someone else who had been stuck in there. After I rescued them, I found out it was Acxa! She had been sent to gather scaultrite as well. We only got to talk for a little while, but we couldn't take off our helmets. It was rough. I didn't even get to see my other brother and sister either." Keith buried his face in his mom's neck. "I just want our pack whole once again."

Kolivan rubbed Keith's back. "We understand, kit. Perhaps once this plan of ours in completed, everyone will be able to join us either here or home."

Keith snuggled against his mom, who noticed how tired her youngest kit was. "Get some rest, Keith. We have a long movement ahead of us."

Fin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note 2: Of course, the plan didn't go according to plan A, plan B, or even plan C. Keith was sent to plant the virus because Thace hadn't checked in, but in the end, Thace had intended on going with plan D, which stood for demolition. Keith wouldn't allow that though. He yanked his Daddy down the shaft he had pointed out earlier, unwilling to let him sacrifice himself. His pack was going to be whole if it was the last thing Keith did.


	19. Routine (DoM) *

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith gets adopted by a man, who had been a Foster in their childhood. He picks up the odd habit of sitting in front of a mirror while brushing his hair and talking to his reflection because the Foster parent would brush his hair and let him talk it out if he had a bad day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, and Antok survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit and was suggested by Tayzx101.
> 
> Tags: DoM, Adopted Keith, Galran Instincts, Keith had a good foster father, Request

"Routine"

"Dad! I'm home!" Keith called as he opened the door. He toed off his shoes and ran into the waiting arms of his adopted father.

"Hey, sport. Welcome home. How was your day?" One look at Keith's face told Jake everything he needed. "Come on, Keith. Let's go sit down."

Jake led Keith into the master bedroom's enormous bathroom that had a sit down vanity in it. Keith gracefully sank down onto the seat and stared at his adoptive father in the mirror. Jake picked up a hairbrush and started running it through Keith's thick hair, eliciting one of those strange sounds that Keith made; this one a purr. Jake smiled as Keith closed his eyes, clearly enjoying the hair brushing.

It was a routine that they had established early on. It was a way to get Keith to talk about what was bothering him and gave them time to bond. They had a lot in common. They were both boys who had been Fosters in their childhood and had behavorial issues and got returned a lot and nobody gave them a chance or tried to work with them when all they needed love. Jake had aged out of the system and vowed to foster a troubled child who was just like him and give him/her all the love and attention they needed. That's how he came to have Keith in his home.

Keith had been returned one too many times and had pretty much resigned himself to remaining at the orphanage until he aged out. When Jake had come in to look at prospective kids, Keith didn't come running. No one had ever wanted a troublesome older kid...until Jake showed up. He had asked for the files of the kids who had been returned multiple times. The second he had seen Keith's file, he _knew_ this was the one. The ladies who ran the orphanage scoffed and suggested he choose a different child, but Jake insisted on Keith. Keith was in shock when he was brought before the man, so sure that it was a mistake that he whimpered a little. Keith cut himself off and cringed, knowing how the ladies who ran the orphanage (and the other kids) didn't like those weird noises he made. However, Jake simply pulled him in close and rubbed his back. He whispered, "It's okay." He raised his head. "This is the one I want."

That had been six months ago, and Jake couldn't imagine his life without Keith in it. He had discovered odd little quirks of Keith's that he let slide, even though he took note of them. On the top of the list were the weird noises he made (like the whimper and the purring). There were times where Jake swore he saw Keith's eyes change from white sclera to yellow and from round pupils to slitted. Sometimes, when he was angry, his teeth were sharpened. Not all the quirks were physical changes though. He _adored_ hugs and liked cuddles. He still had issues talking about what was bothering him, which led Jake to lead him to the vanity and brush his hair. He had found that Keith found it relaxing to have his hair brushed, and when Keith was relaxed, he was more open to talking.

"There was a man from the Galaxy Garrison that visited our class today. He had my class fly one of the simulators, and I did really well, and he wants me to go to the Galaxy Garrison, but we can't afford for me to go."

"Since you showed such an aptitude, we will find a way to get you into the Garrison."

%%%

Keith had held onto the practice of talking while brushing his hair, even if he was by himself. It also helped to hear his problems out loud, even though he didn't just talk about them. So, it came as no surprise to him when his pack found him sitting in front of a mirror he bought at the space mall, brushing his hair and talking to his reflection.

"Kit? Is everything okay?" Thace asked.

"Wha-of course. Why wouldn't it be?"

"You were talking to yourself," Thace answered.

Keith chuckled. "It was a habit I picked up from Jake."

"Who is Jake?" Kolivan inquired.

Ulaz slipped the brush from Keith's hand and started running it through Keith's hair, causing the kit to purr, which was heard in his voice. "Jake was the one Foster that actually adopted me. He had come to the orphanage looking for a kid that had been returned many times. He actually chose me and let me indulge my quirks, as he called them. I now know they were my kit instincts and part of my Galra heritage. We had a routine that if I was having a bad day or something was bothering me, I'd sit down at his vanity and he'd brush my hair while I told him the issue. I liked it so much that I kept doing that, even though he isn't here with me."

"Of course he is, kit." Thace reached out and gently placed his hand over Keith's heart. "He's in here, and I'm glad you had someone who had such a positive impact on your life."

Keith purred and nuzzled Thace. Kolivan and Antok gathered around Keith and doted on him. Antok wrapped his tail around Keith's waist, and Kolivan rubbed his back. Thace nuzzled Keith's neck, while Ulaz kept brushing Keith's hair. Keith was happy that his pack was going to continue the routine Jake had implemented when he accepted Keith into his life.

Fin


	20. Sensory Overload (Pining Lance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Keith fails to show up for movie night, Lance takes it upon himself to find out why.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is pining Lance.
> 
> Tags: Pining Lance, Sensory Overload, Too much
> 
> Warning: This has Keith experiencing sensory overload. I am basing this off of a very close friend of mine that experiences this. Not every case of sensory overload is the same and not every solution works for everyone or every time.

"Sensory Overload"

Keith huddled in his bed. The lights were off, and he wasn't wearing his jacket or his boots. He knew he had promised Lance that he would join the team for movie night, but everything was too much. The lights were too bright, the sounds were too loud, there were too many people around, and hardly anything felt right. He knew he wouldn't be able to enjoy himself and didn't want to stop the rest of the team from enjoying themselves.

%%%

Lance frowned as he walked to Keith's room. He was a little irritated with his...crush. Lance had to admit it; he had a crush on Keith. Crush aside, Keith had promised Lance that he would join them for movie night and failed to show up. He had been certain that the resident emo was on the training deck, so he volunteered to drag him out of there. To his surprise, the training deck was empty. With the first likely place crossed off his list, Lance went to Keith's room.

He couldn't see any lights on or hear any sounds coming from inside the room, but that didn't mean that Keith wasn't inside. He knocked on the door and was surprised to hear a whimper come from inside the room. He gently opened the door and stepped inside, allowing the door to close behind him.

It took a few moments for his eyes to acclimate to the darkness and a few more for him to make out the outline of his crush on the bed. Remembering the reaction to him knocking, Lance whispered, "Keith?"

Lance could tell Keith looked up from the softly glowing eyes. It was a trait he got from his Galra heritage. His eyes didn't change unless he was beyond angry, but they glowed in the dark nonetheless, giving the Paladin excellent night vision.

"Lance?" His voice was barely more than a whisper.

"Yeah," Lance continued to whisper. "Are you okay?"

The movement of those glowing eyes indicated that Keith shook his head. Lance waited a moment before he added, "Is the reason you didn't show up to movie night that you ended up with sensory overload?"

There was a dobosh of awkward silence during which Lance wasn't sure if Keith was going to answer. Reluctantly, Keith nodded.

"Is there anything I can do?"

Another silent dobosh went by before Lance had an idea. "Would you want to wear my jacket? You could put up the hood. It's good at blocking out light and sound."

Keith looked Lance up and down as if he was sizing him up, but Lance realized he was looking at his jacket. One dobosh stretched into two before Keith whispered, "Yeah."

Lance smiled as he took off his jacket. He crossed the room and stood far enough from Keith's bed that the other Paladin wouldn't think he was crowding him but close enough where Keith could grab the jacket from his outstretched hand.

Keith looked at Lance's jacket before lifting his eyes to Lance's face. The hesitation on Keith's face was easily seen at this close distance. Lance bit his lip before he offered, "Would you want me to put it around you?"

Another nod, this time tentative, was his answer. Lance got even closer and draped his jacket over Keith's shoulders and put up the hood, making sure to not only tuck his hair inside it but also to not touch Keith too much.

He knew what sensory overload was like. He got it all the time as a kid. It was one reason he liked his jacket. He wasn't lying when he said it was good at blocking out light and sound, but it was also good at enveloping the wearer in a comforting feeling material. He just hoped that it helped Keith like it did with him.

Keith was amazed at how Lance's jacket seemed to help him. He didn't feel as if everything was too much anymore. He wasn't up to leaving his room or joining the rest of the Paladins for movie night, but he _was_ feeling better. He looked up at Lance and smiled for the first time that day.

"I guess I'll go tell the guys that they can start the movie. I hope you feel better, Keith."

Lance stepped away from the bed and out the door. Before the door closed behind him, he could have sworn that he heard, "Thank you, Lance."

Fin


	21. Going Out (Krolivan, Klance, DoM)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Krolia is invite to go shopping with Veronica and the girls. The thing she hopes to happen during the trip is for her son to start dating Lance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is canon compliant season eight, except Allura doesn't die and Lance isn't dating her. This is Krolivan and Klance.
> 
> Tags: Krolivan, Klance, Canon Compliant DoM, Pregnant Krolia, Ice Cream Date

"Going Out"

Krolia cocked her head as she reread the message she received. "Keith?"

"Yes, Mama?" Keith poked his head out of the kitchen, where he was preparing himself a snack.

"I just received an invitation to go out shopping with Pidge."

"Weird. Pidge doesn't like shopping." Keith walked over with a bowl of cut up fruit and looked at the message. As he looked over the message, Krolia snuck a couple pieces of fruit out of his overly full bowl. His eyes lit up. "Oh, the original invitation is from Veronica."

"Veronica? Oh! That's your boyfriend's sister, right?"

"Lance isn't my boyfriend," Keith mumbled.

"But you wish he was," Kolivan stated, coming over to Keith and Krolia, nuzzling the latter and petting the former's hair.

Keith purred from the affection. "Maybe. Are you going to go?"

"I think so."

"Would you like me to go with you?" Kolivan asked.

"No. You would be bored hearing ladies gossip and try clothes on."

Keith stuffed a piece of fruit into his mouth to stifle his laughter. His mother's comment evoked an image of Kolivan standing in a mall, holding a bunch of bags and looking completely out of place. However, he wasn't completely successful and half-choked on a piece of apple. Kolivan pounded on his back, dislodging the piece of fruit.

"Easy, kit."

Keith managed to wheeze out, "Thanks."

"While your mother is out, do you want to hang out with your boyfriend, kit?"

Keith turned red and insisted, "He's not my boyfriend."

"I did not mention any names, but apparently, one came to mind," Kolivan teased.

Keith ducked his head, hiding his eyes behind his bangs. He knew Kolivan was just teasing him, but it was still embarrassing. "Yes."

Krolia nuzzled Keith's head. "It's all right, kit. Why don't you go ahead and hang out with Lance while I go shopping with his sister? Maybe you can tell him about your feelings."

"Yeah. Maybe."

%%%

"You invited Krolia? Why?" Lance was confused.

"I thought she might like to wear some Earth fashions. Besides, she'll need some maternity clothes soon," Veronica answered.

"M-Maternity clothes? But her husband is dead."

"Her first husband is, but she's...oh, what's the word...mated? Yeah, she's mated to Kolivan."

"She's pregnant? Does Keith know?"

"Of course Keith knows. He's the one who told me."

"Why didn't he tell me?"

"Have you seen him in the past month?"

Lance's shoulders sagged a little. "No, but I wanted to. He's just so busy with transforming the Blade of Marmora into a humanitarian relief organization that I don't have a chance to hang out with him."

"If you tell him you want to hang out, maybe he'll stay on Earth longer."

"Yeah. Maybe."

The roar of a hover bike engine drew the two siblings attention, and they dashed to the door. A red and white hover bike pulled up to their house, next to their mom's car, their dad's truck, and Lisa's SUV. Keith got down and helped his mother get down and to the house. Veronica opened the door, allowing the two Koganes entrance.

"Krolia, Keith. Thanks for coming."

"Thank you for inviting me," Krolia replied.

Keith looked at Lance and gave a small smile. "Hey, Lance. It's good to see you."

"Same here. I missed you."

"Did you want to hang out...with me?"

Lance's eyes lit up. "Sure."

"We can take the hover bike and get ice cream or something," Keith offered.

"Ice cream sounds good, but doesn't your mom need the bike?"

Keith shook his head. "No. Kolivan doesn't want her riding on it by herself. They only reason he let her ride was because I was there. I am more protective of her than he is."

"Why?"

"Galra births are exceedingly difficult. I am only allowed to go somewhere since I am early in my pregnancy," Krolia answered.

Keith tucked himself under his mother's chin and purred to her. "Take care and have a good time, Mama." Keith turned to Veronica. "You are the one I'm going to hold responsible if she doesn't."

"Don't worry, Keith. She'll be okay. Besides, it's not just me and Pidge. Allura, Romelle, Nadia, and Ina are coming with us."

Keith visibly relaxed at the list of names. He trusted the two Alteans the most aside from Pidge. He nuzzled his mom before he stepped back. Krolia took this time to whisper into her son's ear. "I expect you and Lance to be boyfriends when I get back."

Keith blushed a little but nodded and stepped over to Lance's side. "Are you ready, Lance?"

"Yes."

Keith grabbed Lance's hand and pulled him outside. They climbed onto Keith's hover bike, Lance sitting behind Keith with his arms around Keith's waist. When Keith started the bike, Lance couldn't help but bury his face into Keith's back.

%%%

Once the two boys were out of sight, Veronica drove herself and Krolia to the mall, where they met the rest of the group. They all insisted on going to the maternity shop first, in order to get Krolia into some comfortable yet cute clothes, and then a baby clothing store to at least look at the adorable clothes because Galran kits may not fit into Earth baby clothes.

Krolia quickly corrected the girls' line of thinking. "Our kits are born small, but they grow quickly. I'd like to get some of these for my kits."

"Kits? As in more than one?" Pidge asked.

"Oh yes. Galra have litters. Always more than one kit. "

"Then why is Keith an only child?" Nadia questioned.

"Human-Galra hybrids are different. It was a difficult pregnancy. I miscarried a couple times before I had Keith."

Allura and Romelle hugged Krolia, who purred to them in response to their comfort.

"Speaking of Keith, how is he dealing with you expecting another baby?" Romelle inquired.

Krolia giggled. "He's more protective of me than Kolivan is."

%%%

Keith and Lance were sitting across from each other, enjoying their ice cream.

"I can't believe you chose vanilla!" Lance exclaimed. "They have a million flavors!"

"They have fifty flavors, Lance, not a million, and I like vanilla."

Lance waved his mint chocolate chip ice cream cone in front of Keith's face. "Come on, Keithy. Live a little!"

Keith shrugged and bit the top of Lance's ice cream. Lance's jaw dropped in shock. Keith swallowed the ice cream thoughtfully. "Not bad, but I think I'll just stick with my vanilla."

Lance was gobsmacked. "Wha-Keith?"

Keith chuckled. "I like this. Hanging out with you. In fact, I'd like to do it more often. What would you say to being my boyfriend?"

Lance's eyes widened. "Really? I'd like that too, but next time, don't _bite_ my ice cream."

"Come on, Lancey. Live a little."

Fin


	22. Dozing Kits (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Krolia stumbles upon her kit in their nest, sleeping and snuggling Lance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is short and Klance.
> 
> Tags: Klance, short and sweet, Krolia basically adopts Lance

"Dozing Kits"

Krolia walked into her nest and was surprised to see not only Keith laying in there but Lance as well. Her kit was curled up with his team mate. What was their relationship? Were they mates?

She entered the nest and curled around Keith's other side, nosing his hair. She was pleased to hear that he was purring, so he hadn't been having any issues.

"Mama?"

Krolia shifted her gaze down and noticed that her kit's eyes were half open. "It's okay, kit. I'm here...and so is Lance."

"...Lance?"

"Did you not know that Lance was here?"

"No. Just surprised that you don't mind."

"Of course not, kit. Lance is welcome, especially if he's your mate." Krolia nuzzled Keith's neck gently.

"Yeah. He's my boyfriend. I love him."

"And I love him too." Lance opened his eyes part way.

Keith nudged Lance with his head. "Did we wake you?"

"Not really, cariño." Lance tightened his grip. "It's good to see you again, Krolia."

"Thank you, Lance. Now, you kits need to get some sleep. It's in the middle of the night cycle. If you want, I will join you after a shower."

"Yes, please, Mama." Keith yawned.

Krolia licked Keith's right cheek and Lance's left cheek. "I will be right back, kits."

As she walked to the bathroom, she heard Lance ask, "Did she just call me a kit?"

She chuckled as she started the shower. Having Lance around was going to be interesting.

Fin


	23. Watermelon (DoM, Thulaz, Antolivan)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith's pack discovers the deliciousness of watermelon when Hunk delivers some similar tasting fruit to the nest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, and Antok survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. This is Thulaz and Antolivan.
> 
> Tags: DoM, Thulaz, Antolivan, Watermelon, Keith likes fresh fruits and vegis for his snacks

"Watermelon"

Keith was lounging with his pack in their nest when there was a knock on their door. Kolivan went to get up to answer the door and failed to notice that his sleepy kit had a hold of his braid. The increased pressure on his headfur caused him to fall back into the nest with a yelp. Keith opened his eyes and blinked owlishly at his leader. Antok chuckled, patted Keith's hair, and stroked his mate's headfur before he answered the door.

To his amazement, there stood the Yellow Paladin with a large bowl of something in his arms. Hunk took an unconscious step back. Antok had always scared him a little. "Uh, hi. Is Keith awake?"

Hearing Hunk's voice caused Keith to sit bolt upright. "Hunk!"

Hunk took a step forward at the sound of Keith's voice. "I found this fruit that tastes like watermelon and-"

Hunk cut himself off as Keith appeared next to Antok with his eyes sparkling. "Watermelon? Really?"

Hunk grinned. "Do you want some?"

"Yes, please."

"I thought so, so this whole bowl is yours." Hunk held out the bowl he was holding.

"The entire thing is mine?" Keith was surprised. "Won't the others want some?"

"Yes, but I have plenty, so everyone will have enough."

Keith gratefully took the bowl and purred. "Thank you."

"Aw, you're welcome, dude." Hunk smiled as Keith nuzzled him before retreating into the nest with the bowl of watermelon.

Antok hid his smile at his kit's actions. "Thank you for thinking of our kit, Hunk."

Hunk blinked. "Why wouldn't I? I found out Keith likes a lot of fresh fruits and vegis and made it a point to make sure that we have plenty."

"Fruits are okay for him to eat, but vegetables are sweet for Galra, and he shouldn't eat a lot."

"Really? For humans, vegis are essential."

"I will inform Ulaz about this and we will find out which part of his heritage Keith follows in this case. Thank you again." Antok gently closed the door and returned to the nest, where Keith was sitting.

He had his legs crossed and the bowl sitting in the space they created. The rest of the pack was gathered around him, Thace looking into the bowl with interest while his mate leaned against him. Antok sat down next to Kolivan and started undoing his braid (mostly because he wanted to and partly because he wanted to make sure his headfur wouldn't get accidentally pulled again).

"So, what is this, kit?"

"It tastes like watermelon, which is a tasty treat on Earth."

"A treat?" Ulaz questioned. "Is it sweet?"

"It can be, but it's not like candy. It has natural sugars." Keith fished out a piece and popped it into his mouth. His eyes fluttered shut for a moment. He swallowed the piece and purred. "It's so good! Try some!"

Thace tentatively pulled out a piece and took a bite. His eyes widened, and his ears perked up at the taste. He pressed the remaining part to his mate's lips. Ulaz allowed his mate to feed him the fruit.

Keith turned his gaze to the other pair of mates. Kolivan picked out a piece and followed Thace's example of sharing his piece with his mate, whose claws were in his white strands. Keith grinned at his pack's reaction to the fruit. He had a feeling that he was going to have to ask Hunk where he got it from, so the Blades would have it available at headquarters.

Fin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note 2: Keith found Hunk later in the kitchen, sheepishly holding the empty bowl. He had been sent on a mission to go collect more. "Hi, Hunk. I don't suppose you have more, do you?"
> 
> Hunk smiled. He had anticipated this. "Of course, I do." He exchanged the empty bowl with a full one. "Make sure you guys leave room for dinner."
> 
> Keith blushed as he exited the kitchen with his prize in his hands.
> 
> Author Note 3: Tomorrow's chapter is NOT a sweet fluffy chapter. It is full of angst and then some. Also, I will not be posting a chapter on Saturday as my day is extremely busy, but I will be back on Sunday.


	24. Death of a Kit (DoM)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An aborted Blade missions ends in the worst possible way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, Antok, and Regris survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith, Acxa, and Regris their kits. Krolia is here as Keith's mom and pack member. Acxa is here as Keith's twin and pack member. 
> 
> Warning! This is NOT a cute fluffy ficlet. This has character death.
> 
> Tags: DoM, Angst, Character Death, Prepare the tissues, I apologize for this

"Death__ of A Kit"

"Krolia, emergency extraction now!"

Krolia growled low in her throat at the command of her leader. They only used emergency extractions if the mission was compromised or there was a druid aboard. She didn't know which situation they were in, so she didn't waste any time. She grabbed two of her kits by the back of their uniforms and started running. Regris knew better than to question his pack mother and slipped out of her grasp to cling to her back. It made it easier for her to keep ahold of Keith. The youngest kit didn't like leaving when the mission wasn't completed and was more likely to engage enemies unnecessarily.

Keith tried to slip out of his mother's grasp but stopped when he heard her growl. She wasn't angry with him, but it was a warning. There was danger around, and she needed him to stay put. He knew better than to argue with that growl. He tucked his head into her shoulder and didn't move.

Krolia almost breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the rest of her pack hurrying into their pod. Kolivan, Antok, Thace, Ulaz, and Acxa were safely aboard the pod when she felt the temperature of the ship drop before she even heard the druid approach. In one fluid motion, she threw Keith and Regris, whom she had detached from her back, into the ship. The two kits were caught by Thace and Antok, respectively. Krolia drew her blade as she turned to face the druid. She never stopped moving though, making it seem like she was back pedalling rather than trying to make an escape.

"You and your group are not leaving." The druid raised one of its hands, preparing to unleash their trademark lightning bolt attack.

"NO!"

Time seemed to slow down, but Krolia was frozen in place. She wasn't moving towards the ship nor could she prevent the lightning bolt from hitting the being that flung himself in front of her. The scream ripped from his throat echoed in the hangar as more joined in despair. A transformed blade went zinging through the air and embedded itself in the druid's chest, causing the creature to add its own scream to the din before it died in a flash of light.

Krolia knelt down and turned the being over, hands shaking and tears sliding down her cheeks. It couldn't be true. Her youngest kit couldn't be lying in front of her, having taken the hit from the druid's attack, but the proof was there in front of her. He was having trouble breathing, and his eyes were threatening to slide closed.

"Mama...I'm glad...you're all right..."

"Shh, my sweet kit. You're going to be all right. We'll get you back home, and you'll be okay."

"I...don't think...that'll happen...Mama, I...love you."

His violet eyes slid closed, and his body went lax. Krolia shook him. "No, Keith. Don't die on me! Please, baby. Wake up!"

She cradled his body close to her chest and sobbed, her heartbroken cries drawing the rest of her pack in. Acxa tentatively reached out and stroked Keith's hair. When she didn't get a response, she whined and buried her face in Ulaz's chest, his uniform soaking up her tears.

Regris stared open mouthed at this turn of events. One dobosh his brother was standing next to him, and the next, he was dead. It was almost impossible to believe, if it wasn't right in front of him. He turned his head and buried his face in Antok's chest with loud whimpers. The large Blade turned slightly so he couldn't see the heartbreaking scene of Krolia crying over their kit's dead body.

Ulaz couldn't believe that their kit had done that. Why would he throw his life away? He knew he had thrown himself in the path of the druid's attack to save Krolia, but wasn't there a better way? There was nothing he could do but comfort the kit whose face was buried in his chest, sobbing tears for her twin.

Thace knelt down near Keith's head. He reached out and stroked Keith's untameable hair. He had always loved to groom his hair, trying to do the impossible task of making it lay flat. He would never get to do that again.

Kolivan retrieved his blade from where it had clattered to the floor after taking care of the druid that killed his youngest kit. He sheathed it and walked over to Krolia, who was still sobbing over their kit. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Let's take him home."

Tears still cascading down her cheeks and landing on her youngest kit's uniform, Krolia stood up and carried him into their pod, being followed by Thace, Kolivan, Ulaz (who was carrying Acxa, who had passed out from exhaustion due to crying), and Antok, who was carrying a still whimpering Regris. Ulaz and Antok laid the two kits in the nest and curled around them. Krolia kept ahold of Keith and Kolivan and Thace started up the pod and flew it back to headquarters. Every member of their pack was heartbroken and would never recover from the loss of their littlest blade.

Fin


	25. Tormented Dream (Team As Family)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Acxa has a horrific nightmare where her team was slaughtered. Fortunately, it was just a dream, and they were able to comfort her in the aftermath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is team as family but it's not the Blades or the Paladins. It's Lotor and his generals.
> 
> Warning! There is somewhat graphic descriptions of death with blood in the second paragraph and a little bit in the third. If this makes you squeamish, please skip to the %%%. The events are recounted a little later in much less graphic detail.

"Tormented Dream"

Acxa glanced around the ship. It was eeriely quiet, which was unusual. Normally, she could hear Ezor's inane chatter or Lotor giving commands or even Kova leaping onto a consol, but there was nothing. She drew her blaster but kept it pointed down as she slinked through the corridors of the ship. She checked every room she came across, but the result was always the same: empty. She methodically made her way to the bridge, her nerves more and more on edge as she neared her destination.

The door to the bridge opening in the silence of the ship was akin to an explosion going off nearby. The scene that assaulted her eyes was horrific. Slumped against her consol was Narti with the slain form of Kova by her feet. Not too far away was Ezor, her hand reaching out for her equally dead girlfriend. Trembling, Acxa turned to face the command chair and gasped in horror. Lotor was slumped in his chair, throat slit and blank eyes staring at the slain forms of three of his generals.

She backed up, bumping into a consol. She glanced at it, its surface reflecting her image back at her. Her eyes scanned her reflection in abject terror. There was a red smudge on her right cheek and what appeared to be bloody hand prints on her left arm. The most disturbing thing was the blood splashed across her chest. How did she end up with blood all over her? A glint to her right caught her attention, and she saw that she was holding a blood stained sword instead of her blaster. She dropped the weapon in revulsion and resisted the urge to vomit. The implication was too much to bear. _She_ couldn't have been the one who slaughtered her team and their prince. She _couldn't._

%%%

Acxa awoke with a loud whine. She panted heavily as she glanced around at her surroundings. She was in her room on Lotor's ship, laying in her nest. The familiar hum of the ship was comforting, especially since the sound was absent in the nightmare she had had. She wrapped her arms around herself and tried to calm down, because it wasn't real. She hadn't killed her team or their prince. Everyone was alive and well and...on the bridge. The image of all five of them slaughtered brought tears to her eyes, a loud keen tearing itself from her throat.

The pounding of footsteps didn't attract her attention nor did the opening of her door. Crowded in the doorway were Ezor, Zethrid, Narti with Kova on her shoulder, and Lotor. Lotor entered first and knelt down in front of his highest ranking general. "Acxa?"

Her head jerked up at the sound of his voice, and, to his surprise, she threw herself at him, clutching at his uniform top and crying. He wrapped his arms around her, confused as to what had disturbed her so greatly. The other three generals gathered around their prince and distressed team leader. Ezor laid against her side, Zethrid rubbed her back, Kova jumped into her lap and purred to her, and Narti stroked her headfur.

Once Acxa wasn't so distraught, Lotor asked, "What happened, Acxa?"

"My apologies. It was just a horrific nightmare. I shouldn't have lost my composure over it."

Ezor let out a low whistle. "It must have been really bad if it rattled you."

"It was."

A dobosh passed in silence before Lotor asked, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Acxa paused. Did she have enough strength to talk about it? She nodded slowly. "Apparently, you all were slaughtered. I found you all on the bridge, but there weren't any intruders. I had searched the ship on my way to the bridge. If that wasn't bad enough, the nightmare made it seem like _I_ had done it! I was covered in blood and holding a blood stained sword." More tears slid down her cheeks. "But I couldn't have done that! I _wouldn't_ have betrayed you like that! I couldn't..."

"I believe you, Acxa. You are my most loyal general and are incapable of such acts of treachery. Do not dwell on this nightmare. It will not happen in real life." Lotor rubbed his cheek against hers. "Now, get some more rest, Acxa. We're here with you."

"Can we be in my nest?" Acxa asked, glancing at her team. "All of us?"

"Of course."

It took a little bit of rearranging, but all five part Galra and one cat were laying in Acxa's nest, and the highest ranking general was able to find some peaceful rest, ensconced in her team's embrace.

Fin


	26. Time Traveling (DoM) *

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith gets sent back in time and ends up rescuing/saving the entire pack (as kits), leading them to recognize Keith in the present time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, Antok, and Regris survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. Krolia is here as Keith's mom and pack member. This was suggested by Tayzx101.
> 
> Tags: DoM, Time travel, Kit Kolivan, Kit Antok, Kit Thace, Kit Ulaz, Kit Krolia, Galra Keith, Pack Bonds, Request

"Time Traveling"

Keith looked around. He didn't recognize the planet he was on, but he noticed there were sentries and low level Galra officers there. He avoided attracting attention to himself as he observed the installation we was near. There was something not right; Keith could feel it, even though he couldn't figure out what it was just yet.

He stayed in the shadows and slunk along the edges until he saw something that got his blood hot. There were Galran kits here that were being used for labor. There were four of them, and they looked familiar. One was lavender with short white headfur, and another one was violet in color. There were two other kits that were the same color, but one had red markings on his head and shoulder length white strands and the other was taller and had a tail.

Something about these kits was familiar to Keith, but he was sure that he hadn't met them before. However, he couldn't allow these kits to be used for slave labor. It was wrong. Kids of any race were precious; he had learned that. He had always enjoyed caring for the younger kids at the orphanage.

He leapt out and used his Marmora blade to dispatch the sentries that were in charge of watching the kits. This man with violet cheek stripes destroying the sentries scared the kits, the violet one hiding behind the lavender one. The one with the tail was shielding the other three. Once the danger passed, the man turned to the kits.

"Don't hurt us please," the tailed kit pleaded.

Keith couldn't explain his actions, but he followed his instincts. He purred to the kits, which put them at ease. The violet one poked his head out and approached the man, who scooped him up. The kit nuzzled Keith's head before he turned to the others and chirped. The other three slowly approached the pair.

Keith smiled. "What are your names, kits?"

"Thace."

"Ulaz."

"Kolivan."

"Antok."

Keith was in shock. These kits were his pack members as kits. He must have been sent into the past somehow. How didn't matter at that moment. He had four kits to take care of. "I'm Keith. Where are your parents?"

Tears gathered in the golden eyes of all four, but Ulaz spoke. "We were taken from them. We don't know where they are."

Keith purred and gathered all four into his arms, hugging them. "It'll be okay, kits. I'll see if we can find them."

Suddenly, a roar drew their attention. Little Kolivan perked up, recognizing the sound. A large Galra in a familiar Blade uniform appeared out of the forest. He unsheathed a Marmoran blade. "Release my kit!"

Kolivan wriggled out of Keith's grasp and rushed over to the Blade. "Papa! It's okay. He saved us!"

Keith set the other kits down, unsheathed his blade, and knelt down, holding his transformed blade in his hands (palms up). The older Blade seemed to freeze, looking at Keith's position. It was the position of a younger Blade to show deference to an older, more experienced Blade.

"Rise. You're a Blade? I've never seen you before."

"Can we talk somewhere else? These kits need to get somewhere safe."

"Follow me." The Blade scooped up Kolivan, who wrapped his arms around his neck and purred.

Keith scooped up Antok and Ulaz. Thace jumped onto his back and clung to him. Keith purred to the three kits as he followed Kolivan's father to the pod, where he radioed the members of his team. The kits slipped out of Keith's grasp, calmer now that they were somewhere familiar.

Kolivan's father entered the pod and allowed Keith to sit down near the only member of the team that stayed behind. The female was holding a younger kit that had violet headfur with magenta underneath and purple fur with slightly darker purple stripes on her cheeks. The younger kit sniffed in his direction and let out a questioning noise. "Shh, Krolia. It's okay. We'll find our pack kits."

Keith's eyes widened. That was his mom as a kit! Just then, Thace, Ulaz, Antok, and Kolivan rushed in and over to Krolia and her mom. The tick her eyes landed on her pack brothers, they lit up, and she leapt out of her mom's arms and onto her brothers. Nuzzles were exchanged, and purrs were heard, which masked the hurried footsteps of three Blades.

"Ulaz!"

"Thace!"

"Antok!"

All five kits looked up, the three in question looking up.

"Daddy!" Antok rushed over to his Dad.

"Mama!" Thace was scooped up by his Mom.

"Papa!" Ulaz purred to his Dad.

Krolia turned to look at Keith and approached him. She lifted her arms up, and Keith gently picked her up. She patted his cheek stripes. "You have the same stripes I do."

"You're cute," Keith said.

Kolivan's father put a hand on Keith's shoulder and spoke when Keith looked up at him. "Now that the kits are safe, I want answers. You are clearly a Blade, but I have never seen you before."

"This is going to sound weird, but it's the truth. I'm from the future. I do not know how I got here or why I was here, but I need to go back. My pack is going to be worried about me."

"Who is in your pack?"

"All of these kits but as grown ups plus another kit a little older than me."

_"Another_ kit?"

Keith tensed slightly. He hadn't meant to let it slip that he was still technically a kit. He bowed his head a little. "Yes. I am still considered a kit."

"How old are you?"

"Eighteen."

Of all the reactions Keith was expecting, being pulled into a cuddle pile with all five kits and the five adults was at the bottom of the list. He relaxed, his eyes drifting closed, when he felt claws being dragged through his hair and all the kits cuddled up against him.

%%%

Keith's eyes opened, and he noticed that he was on the castle ship. He was standing off to one side with Pidge, Lance, and Hunk while Shiro had his Galra hand at a Blade's neck. The Blade stepped back, his mask disappearing and his ears flicking out.

"Ulaz?" Instead of Shiro asking the question, it was Keith.

Ulaz turned and looked at the Red Paladin, whom he had flung around and who was removing his helmet. "Keith?"

"Hi, kit," Keith said softly.

Keith was unprepared for Ulaz to nuzzle his head. "Keith."

Keith reached up and stroked Ulaz's headfur. He whispered, "It's all right, kit. I'm here."

Ulaz softly purred at the term, even though he was older than Keith now. "Don't call me that in public, please."

"All right." Keith closed his eyes, enjoying the proximity of one of the kits he saved.

%%%

When Keith opened his eyes, he was standing next to Shiro at the Blade of Marmora headquarters.

"I am Shiro, and this is Keith. We are Paladins of Voltron."

"Keith?" the tall masked Blade from behind them asked. Keith turned slightly, removed his helmet, and smiled when Antok caressed his cheek stripes. "It's you."

"Hi, Antok."

"Keith?"

Keith turned around and faced the approaching Blade, who was deactivating his mask. "Hi, Kolivan."

To Shiro's surprise, Kolivan reached out and pulled Keith close, nosing his hair. "It really _is_ you. We thought you might have been a dream."

"I'm no dream. I'm here to take the trials and awaken my blade."

"Very well."

Keith closed his eyes and sighed. This was going to hurt.

%%%

Keith opened his eyes and wasn't surprised that he was some place different. He realized what was going on. He was traveling through time, reliving the moments he had initially met the Blades. Currently, he was on Zarkon's command ship. He was hiding while Thace typed in the old code while being taunted by the Druids. He leapt out of hiding, throwing his blade with a cry of "Kit, duck!"

Fortunately, Thace did duck. It was in response to Keith's voice. Once the two of them took care of the Druids, Thace turned to Keith and chirped. He nuzzled Keith's head. "Keith, it's you. I missed you."

Keith stroked Thace's headfur. "Yeah, it's me, kit. However, we have to continue the mission first, and by the way, I will _not_ allow you to die. You are going to set this up, and then, you are coming with me, kit."

"Yes, sir."

Keith smiled and closed his eyes, satisfied that another one of his kits was safe.

%%%

When Keith opened his eyes again, he saw he was in the nest at headquarters. It was full of the pillows and blankets he was used to, and Regris was sleeping in the spot next to him.

As Keith sat there trying to figure out what was going on, the door to the nest room opened, admitting the rest of his pack. Krolia noticed her youngest kit was awake and deep in thought. She knelt down and rumbled to him. His head shot up and smiled as his eyes landed on each adult member of his pack. "Hi, kits."

He grinned as he dodged Antok's tail as it tried to land a soft blow to his head. "Sorry. Now that I saved you all in the past, multiple times for a couple of you, it's hard _not_ to call you guys 'kits'. However, I will try hard not to."

Ulaz and Thace pulled Keith in between them and nuzzled his head. Ulaz whispered, "Just between us, Keith, if you want to refer to Thace and myself as 'kits' in private, then you may. You saved us twice, after all."

Keith purred to Thace and Ulaz, returning the nuzzles. He still didn't know _why_ he had been traveling through time or how it happened, but he was glad he did.

Fin


	27. Archery (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allura is pleased to be teaching her brother archery and even more so that Keith is there keeping watch over both of them, even if they were safe behind the palace walls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is another installmet of my Galtean Klance bodyguard AU. Takes place after "Fiancée."
> 
> Tags: Klance, Galtean Bodyguard, Altean Prince Lance, Galra Keith, Engaged, Archer Allura, Lessons

"Archery"

"Now, aim carefully. Keep your arm steady, and release!"

_Thwack_

An arrow was sticking out of the target, not quite a bullseye but a solid hit nonetheless. The archer, who was none other than Prince Lance, groaned at his poor aim. He walked over and yanked the arrow out, glaring at it like it insulted him.

"If you glare any harder, it's going to burst into flames."

"It would serve it right," Lance groused as his bodyguard and fiancée, Keith, chuckled. He drew up alongside the prince, his tail wrapping around his waist, and gave him a kiss on his cheek.

Allura smiled at the two of them. She allowed Lance a moment of reprieve during his lesson. She was teaching Lance archery since it was something she excelled in. She had heard that their father was going to allow Lance to learn more physical activities, which prompted her to suggest archery first. She knew that once Lance started studying sword fighting and hand-to-hand combat from Keith, he wouldn't want to do anything else. Of course, Lance didn't know he was going to be learning from Keith; simply knowing that he _was_ learning was enough for the prince. Keith, of course, knew he was going to teach his fiancée but was sworn to secrecy. It was a surprise for Lance's upcoming birthday.

Lance snuggled into Keith's side for a moment, allowing the half-Galra to scent him. Keith had been doing that more often lately. It was his way of staking his claim on the prince. Not everyone could smell it, but to those who could, it was obvious that the prince was taken. For those who couldn't smell it, the ring was an obvious sign. He also knew that on his eighteenth birthday, King Alfor was going to announce his engagement to the people.

Keith purred to Lance as he led him back to where he had been shooting from. Lance placed the arrow in the quiver that was in front of him. Keith kept his tail wrapped around Lance's waist as the prince kept practicing his archery with his sister keeping watch in between shooting her own arrows. It wasn't much longer before Lance got a bullseye.

"I did it! I got a bullseye!"

"Well done, brother."

Keith purred louder to Lance and licked his cheeks. Lance froze in response to the action, his Altean marks glowing slightly. Keith had never done that before. Noticing Lance's reaction, Keith cocked his head. "What's the matter, my prince?"

"You licked me."

"Yes. It's a way for Galra to show their appreciation to a loved one. I was congratulating you on getting a bullseye. Is that okay?"

"Yeah. I just wasn't expecting it." Lance snuggled against Keith, who relaxed a little and started grooming Lance's hair. Lance had gotten used to Keith grooming his hair ever since they had gotten engaged. He actually liked it, even though it was a little strange. He was learning little things about his fiancée, and he liked it a lot. He couldn't wait for his birthday.

Fin


	28. Lonesome Kit (DoM)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith says he doesn't mind napping in an empty nest, but it bothers Kolivan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, and Antok survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. 
> 
> Tags: DoM, Napping, Kolivan worries about Keith

"Lonesome Kit"

Kolivan entered the nest room and wasn't surprised to see Keith laying in the nest. As he neared the nest, he realized that Keith was asleep. He had thought so, since the kit was purring, but he wanted to make sure. He stepped into the nest and settled next to his kit. The fact that Keith was alone in the nest concerned Kolivan a little. Keith had told him that it was okay, that he didn't mind napping in an empty nest, but it didn't sit well with Kolivan. A kit shouldn't nap alone.

Kolivan reached out and stroked Keith's hair, eliciting the kit to purr louder and causing Kolivan to smile. Keith was such a young kit. He gently pulled Keith onto his lap and nuzzled him. He didn't get to hold Keith much during the day with him being busy running the organization and the kit training, unfortunately. The pack had been slowly getting Keith to train less and embrace his kit instincts.

Keith was vaguely aware of someone holding him. He knew it was a member of his pack, but which one? All four of them were much larger than he was, which was expected since they were full blooded Galra and he was half, and then there was the age difference as well. They were in their two hundreds and were considered adults, while he was only nineteen and considered a kit.

He felt a nuzzle and realized it was Kolivan. His nose wasn't as sensitive as a full Galra's, but he was able to pick up some scents. His pack, specifically, had unique scents. Ulaz smelled like lavender and luxite, Thace had the scent of wisteria mixed with luxite, Antok's scent had a mixture of luxite and fir trees. Kolivan, however, smelled solely of luxite, and it was this scent that clued Keith into who was holding him. Why he was holding him eluded him though.

His eyes fluttered open, and he let out a questioning noise, catching Kolivan's attention. "Kolivan?"

"I didn't mean to disturb you, kit."

"You didn't." Keith rubbed his head against Kolivan's shoulder. "Why are you holding me?"

"You looked lonely in the nest, kit, like you needed some company."

"I..." Keith trailed off. Did he want company? It was nice being held by Kolivan.

"Kit, I know you said that you didn't mind napping in the nest alone, but would you consider napping with one of us? You could nap in Ulaz's or my office or with Thace in the communications room or with Antok while he oversees Blade training."

Keith was silent for several doboshes as he contemplated the pros and cons of napping with his pack. His instincts had been telling him to nap with one of his pack members, but he had been ignoring it for fear that he would be bothering them if he asked to. "Would that be okay?"

"Of course, kit. I, for one, would love to have you in my office. There's a small nest in there if you need some place to rest in an out of the way location that isn't the nest." Kolivan gently nuzzled Keith, who responded by purring to him.

"I'd like that very much," Keith replied before yawning.

"You are still tired, my kit. Get some more rest here. You can start napping with us tomorrow."

Keith's eyes drifted shut, and he fell back asleep, snuggled against his pack leader. Kolivan dragged a blanket over and covered his kit. It wouldn't do for him to get cold on the base, especially since he lacked the fur most of the base's inhabitants took for granted. After all, it was his duty to watch over Keith, not only as the leader of the Blades but also as the leader of his pack.

Fin


	29. Sandbox Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Calvin takes his son to the park for the first time, Keith meets a new friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is pre-canon where Lance and Keith first meet as toddlers. Keith is three, and Lance is two. Lance only speaks Spanish. It's fortunate that Keith knows some too, being from the Southwest US. The translations follow in brackets.
> 
> Tags: Pre-Canon, Toddler Keith, Toddler Lance, Protective Keith, Galra Keith, Cuban Lance, Bubbles

"Sandbox Friends"

Calvin Kogane took his son to the park for the first time. His heart was still heavy from Krolia leaving, even though it had been three years since he had seen her in person. He did have a picture of her hidden behind a picture of himself and his little Keith on his hover bike.

Calvin set Keith on his feet and, with a very light push to his shoulders, urged him to go play. Calvin was very glad that his son looked so human, even though he was only half human. He looked human but had Galran instincts. In the three years Krolia had been gone, Calvin had tried to curb his Galran instincts. He didn't want to discourage his son for his instincts. However, he knew how cruel humans could be towards anyone who was different. He would not tolerate anyone being cruel to his son and made sure Keith knew to only display his Galran side at home. He only hoped that there wouldn't be any issues today.

%%%

Lance was sitting in the sandbox with a blue bottle of bubbles. He may have been only two, but he knew how to blow bubbles. His siblings had taught him that. He blew a large bubble and watched as it floated away...and towards a dark haired boy he had never seen before. The boy noticed the bubble and watched it with wide purple eyes. It popped on its own, causing the boy to jolt at the suddenness.

His eyes roved over the path the bubble had made and landed on Lance in the sandbox. He toddled over to him and stood by the box. "Hi. I'm Keef."

Lance blinked. He didn't know much English. "Hola. Soy Lance." [Hi. I'm Lance.]

Keith blinked. He recognized that language. His Dad spoke that language sometimes. "Hola. Soy Keef." [Hi. I'm Keef.]

Lance's eyes lit up. This kid could speak Spanish! "Juega conmigo." [Play with me.]

Keith nodded and sat down next to Lance. The two boys took turns blowing bubbles, competing good naturedly to see who could blow the biggest one. The two boys were giggling and having a great time.

Their giggles attracted the attention of a couple of bullies that liked to dominate the park. They had never seen either of the younger boys before, and the leader was going to make sure neither one wanted to come back to 'their' park. He marched over and promptly knocked over the bottle of bubbles, spilling the contents, which were soaked up by the sand. Tears pooled in Lance's eyes. His Mama had bought those specifically for him. It was even his favorite color!

Keith didn't like that these boys made his new friend cry. He couldn't help the growl that reverberated in his chest. He didn't realize that his eyes changed briefly. His sclera turned yellow and his pupils narrowed into slits. These changes freaked the older boy enough to make him back off and retreat back to his group of friends. Keith stopped growling and turned to Lance, who still had tears in his eyes. The three-year-old wrapped his arms around the slightly younger boy and purred to him. He knew he shouldn't, because Daddy told him not to, but it was a bonafide way to cheer someone up. He couldn't remember her but was sure that his Mama had purred to him before.

Calvin had noticed the exchange between his son and the older boy. He was on his way over to Keith when his son hugged his new friend. He heard the purr and was worried about the younger boy's reaction, but the brunette seemed to calm down and relaxed in Keith's arms. He stopped but kept watching the two boys.

Keith looked up and saw his Daddy watching him. He knew he had seen what he did. Keith gave a little kiss to Lance's temple and whispering, "Lo siento. Tengo que." [Sorry. Got to go.]

"No."

"Keith, you can stay there and play with your friend."

Keith smiled. "Thanks, Daddy." He turned to Lance. "Está bien. Puedo jugar." [It's okay. I can play.]

Lance smiled and held his arms out. Keith snuggled against the brunette and purred again. Lance sighed. He wasn't sure what sound Keith was making, but it was comforting, and if they had fallen asleep together in the sandbox, it was okay. Babies needed naps after all.

Fin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for not posting yesterday. Time got away from me, and by the time I realized what had happened, it was too late in my mind to post this chapter.


	30. Communications (Blind Keith)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regris and Keith work with Thace in communications to see if either had an aptitude for it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is the thirteenth story in the Blind Keith series. 
> 
> Tags: Blind Keith, Kit Keith, Kit Regris, Galra Keith, Keith raised by the BoM, Training, Depressed Keith

"Communications"

It was several phoebes since the freezer incident, and it was finally time for the two kits to join Thace in the communications room. Technology never really interested Keith, mostly because he couldn't see it. Regris, on the other hand, was extremely excited for that particular quintant. Keith had a hunch that his best friend was going to have a knack for technological stuff.

They arrived in the communications room together and were greeted by Thace. "Regris, Keith, come in, kits."

Keith immediately tucked himself against his Daddy with practiced ease, nosing his chest. "Hi, Daddy."

Thace nosed Keith's hair and ruffled Regris's headfur. "I have a lot of things to teach you two. So, let's get started."

It ended up being a long and boring quintant for Keith since he didn't have any interest in the technology stuff. That wasn't to say that he didn't learn anything. He learned how to differentiate by sound the different tech systems, the difference between breathing and the hum of technology, and how to determine if something has been tampered with. 

Regris was having the time of his life learning all about the different systems, which he also described to Keith (with Thace adding little details Regris missed in his description), and different programs he will learn more about later on.

Keith and Regris left the communications room later that night, accompanied by Thace. Regris was nearly bouncing in excitement when Thace dropped him off at his pack's nest room along with an apology and explanation of the kit's excitement. Thace noticed Keith seemed down, so he scooped up his kit and nuzzled him. "What's the matter, my kit?"

"Regris found his area of expertise, and I'm happy for him, but what if I don't find mine? What if I don't have an area of expertise because I'm blind?"

"Oh, kit. You'll find your area. You have only tried two areas. There are many, many other areas for you to try, like flying."

Keith looked at him. "Am I allowed to try flying, Daddy?"

"One quintant, kit. One quintant."

Fin


	31. Agitated Mates (DoM, Thulaz, Antolivan, Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance and Keith have nightmares about each other being hurt and need to see each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, Antok, and Regris survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith, Acxa, and Regris their kits. Krolia is here as Keith's mom and pack member. Acxa is here as Keith's twin and pack member. This is Klance, Thulaz, and Antolivan.
> 
> Tags: DoM, Thulaz, Antolivan, Klance, Nightmare, Worry

"Agitated __Mates"

"Lance!" Keith sat bolt upright in the nest with a shout of his mate's name, which was followed by a loud keen.

This display from their usually quiet kit disturbed every member of his pack. Krolia tugged Keith onto her lap and nosed his hair briefly. He reeked of distress. "Oh, my kit. What happened?"

Keith tucked himself under her chin and whimpered. "Lance was piloting Red and was shot down onto a Galra occupied planet. He was unconscious, Red was unresponsive, and Empire soldiers were approaching. I need to see him and Red."

%%%

Shiro, Hunk, Pidge, Allura, and Coran were in the lounge comforting Lance, who had had a nightmare about Keith getting captured whilst on a Blade mission. Shiro jumped slightly when his data pad dinged. He withdrew it and, to his surprise, saw Ulaz. "Hi, Ulaz."

"Shiro, we need permission to dock, specifically in the Red Lion hangar."

The urgency in the Blade's voice overrode Shiro's hesitance at the unusual request. "Granted. See you soon?"

"Please meet us there, especially Lance."

"Is Keith with you?"

"Now."

Shiro was surprised at the growl accompanying his second favorite Blade's (Keith was first) voice. "Of course." The link was terminated, and Shiro turned to Lance. "Hey, buddy. The Blades are coming. They are landing in the Red Lion hangar. I think Keith is there."

Lance perked up, tears still sliding down his cheeks. "Keith's here?"

"Let's go." Shiro held his hand out for Lance to grasp, which he did. Shiro pulled Lance to his feet and accompanied him to the Red Lion hangar.

The tick Lance's eyes fell onto Keith who was talking to Red, Lance called out, "Keith!"

Keith turned around and started running in his direction. "Lance!"

Lance wrapped his arms around Keith and pulled him in close. "You're here. You're safe! I was so worried!"

Keith nosed his hair and whined. "You're all right! You and Red both are safe!" He turned to his pack. "I want to stay here for a bit. I need to feel Lance beside me." Keith nuzzled Lance close.

"Come with me, sweetie." Lance gently tugged Keith with him out of Red's hangar. Keith threw a questioning noise over his shoulder at his pack. Kolivan returned it with a rumble, which reassured him.

The Blades followed Keith and Lance to the lounge and constructed a nest for the pack and Paladins to rest in. Keith pulled Lance into the nest and snuggled him. Thace tugged Ulaz into his lap and nuzzled him, Antok doing the same with Kolivan. Krolia tugged the other two kits into the nest, while Shiro urged the Paladins to join them.

Keith and Lance were snuggled up against each other, while Acxa was curled around her twin with her Mom behind her. Regris was actually curled around Lance, his tail curled around his brother's mate's leg. Behind Regris was the pairing of Kolivan and Antok, while Thace and Ulaz sat above the kits, taking turns grooming the kits' (including Lance) headfur. Shiro and the other Paladins sat in front of the Blades with Shiro being the closest to Keith. Allura and Coran settled into the nest near the rest of the Paladins.

A content purr was heard in the nest. The Blades were relieved to hear their youngest kit's purr. When he had woken from his nightmare, he hadn't purred at all, not even when he saw that his lion and his mate were all right. It was a troubling thing when kits didn't purr. More purrs joined Keith's, and the Blades didn't care that the Paladins learned that they purred. It was a universal Galra trait that the Paladins already knew about, wasn't it?

Fin


	32. Galran Features (Team As Family)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith develops Galran features.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This ficlet contains the head canon that Kolivan is Krolia's father, which makes him Keith's grandfather.
> 
> Tags: Team as family, Galran Keith, Grandpa Kolivan (mentioned), White haired Keith

"Galran Features"

Keith dragged himself out of bed early in the morning and started his morning routine, even though he felt like something was off. When he was in the shower getting his hair wet, that was when things got weird. He ended up with what looked like black ink on his hands. He wrinkled his nose and quickly rinsed it off his hands. He proceeded to shampoo his hair, and when he rinsed his hands off, he noticed the soap suds were tinted black as well. He rinsed the shampoo out of his hair and was alarmed at _more_ black ink being washed down the drain. Pushing his rising panic level down, he finished his shower and dried off. Movement in the mirror drew his attention, and he stared at his reflection in disbelief. He quickly looked behind him before pulling a lock of hair down to inspect the color. Instead of the normal coal black color he was used to, it now lacked any color at all. In fact, it closely resembled Allura's hair color! He couldn't help the shout he gave at seeing his hair color had changed.

The stampede of feet heading in his direction did nothing to draw his attention away from his now white hair. The door to his room slammed open, admitting the other four Paladins and the two Alteans. Keith was briefly glad that he had a pair of pants on as all six of them crammed into the bathroom doorway.

"K-Keith?" Shiro stammered. "What happened?"

"I don't know. I took a shower, and now, my hair is white." Keith held back a whimper.

Coran visibly relaxed and twirled his moustache. "Is that all this commotion is about? It is simply his Galran heritage becoming dominant. He will undoubtedly develop more features as time goes by."

"But, why is my hair white? My mom's is purple and magenta."

"Isn't your grandfather's headfur white?"

"I don't-" Keith cut himself off. He did just learn that Kolivan was his grandfather. "It is."

"Then, that's where you got it from," Coran stated.

"Why are they just showing up now?" Keith asked.

"I am no geneticist, but I suspect your genes recognized that it wasn't safe to do so until now."

Shiro sighed in relief and pulled Keith into a hug. "I'm glad you're okay, Keith."

"I didn't mean to scare anyone," Keith mumbled into Shiro's shoulder.

Lance raised an eyebrow as if critiquing Keith's new look. "It doesn't look too bad, but put a shirt on, Mullet."

Keith tossed a glare in Lance's direction before he realized that the Blue Paladin was trying to relieve the tension in the air and let Keith know that it was okay with him.

Allura approached Keith, and Shiro let him out of the hug. Keith nervously watched the princess approach, unsure of what she was going to do. She smiled and stroked his hair. "You look good with white hair, Keith. I like it."

Keith couldn't help but nuzzle her hand in response with a soft purr. She smiled and continued stroking his hair.

Pidge adjusted her glasses. "What other features would he develop?"

Coran hummed. "He might develop features either from Krolia like cheek stripes or from Kolivan like the fluffy ears."

"Or maybe both!" Hunk exclaimed excitedly. "Maybe he'd even be purple! He'd definitely look more Galran then!"

Keith grinned at the acceptance of his team mates and family. Allura continued to stroke his hair. "I recommend taking at least the quintant off, in case more features appear."

"I don't need the quintant off, Princess."

"Nevertheless, we all will take the day off," Shiro decided. "It's been awhile since we've had time off."

Keith tried his hardest not to melt in the princess's arms, but when her fingers moved from stroking his hair to a different movement, he couldn't help it. He purred louder and nuzzled her. She smiled and continued doing that motion.

Shiro and the rest of the Paladins watched as Keith was now sporting purple, fluffy, Galra ears, which is what the princess was rubbing. Keith seemed to be developing the Galran features without pain, which Shiro was thankful for. He didn't think he would be able to listen to Keith's screams if he had.

"Let's let Keith put on a shirt and then reconvene in the lounge," Shiro suggested.

Allura removed her hands, prompting Keith to whine a little. She smiled and trailed a hand down his face. "Join us in the lounge, and I'll continue that."

Keith peered at her through his bangs and smiled. The sextet left Keith's room, and Keith hurriedly threw on a shirt. He hastily ran to the lounge and was surprised to see it empty. He entered and chirped at the sight of a nest in the middle of the couches. It was a little messy, and Keith guessed that whoever made it wouldn't mind if he fixed it. He was so preoccupied with fixing the nest that he missed the arrival of the four Paladins and two Alteans until Lance cooed at him.

"Look at him fixing the nest." Lance elbowed Hunk gently. "I told you it was messy."

Keith paused with a blanket in his hands and looked up. "Was it okay that I fixed it?"

"Definitely, buddy. We're no experts in building nests, but we figured you'd be able to fix it."

"Oh, okay." Keith went back to fixing the nest, which didn't take too long. He looked up and saw the other six climbing into the nest. Allura settled next to him, reached out, and rubbed his ears. He instantly melted, purred, and laid across her lap. She was a little surprised but didn't cease rubbing his ears.

Shiro was sitting beside Keith and maneuvered Keith's lower half onto his lap. It was a testament to how relaxed Keith was due to Allura rubbing his ears. Keith's purr was loud and relaxing to hear. Keith was nuzzling Allura, who noticed that Keith had a purple stripe on each cheek. Lance, who was sitting on Allura's other side, reached out and stroked his cheek stripes. Keith turned his head and nuzzled Lance's hand. Lance was surprised but continued stroking his cheek stripes.

Just then, Keith yawned. Hunk and Pidge, who were nearby, noticed his fangs. They edged closer, and Pidge leaned against Keith, who was now sporting patches of purple fur that matched his ears and were a shade lighter than his stripes. Hunk reached out and stroked his fur. It was very soft and fine!

Keith yawned again. He didn't know why he was tired. He just got up! However, he was so comfortable and relaxed, he couldn't get up, even if he wanted to. He was fighting to keep his eyes open, which Lance noticed. "If you're tired, Keith, you can go back to sleep."

"Developing these new features must be tiring. None of us will blame you if you do," mentioned Coran, who was seated behind Allura.

Keith yawned once more and then nuzzled Lance's hand, his eyes closing. He continued purring as he fell asleep. The other six people, who were gathered around Keith, weren't sure if Keith was done developing Galran features, but they were there for him no matter what.

Fin


	33. De-Aged Paladins (Space Mom Allura)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Paladins are de-aged and consider Allura 'mom.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is de-aged Paladins with Space Mom Allura.
> 
> Tags: Space Mom Allura, De-Aged Paladins, Kid Shiro, Kid Keith, Kid Lance, Kid Hunk, Kid Pidge, Nightmares

"De-Aged Paladins"

Allura resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose. Somehow, her Paladins were nothing more than children now. They had physically regressed in age with Shiro still being the eldest at 6. Keith, Lance, and Hunk were 5, and Pidge was 4. They seemed to recognize each other but not her or Coran. However, they weren't afraid of her or Coran; quite the opposite actually. They started calling her some form of mom. Pidge called her 'Mom,' Hunk called her 'Mum,' Keith called her 'Mama,' Lance called her 'Mamá,' and Shiro called her 'Okāsan.'

It was adorable, and so were they. Her little Paladins were so adorable but had little differences than what she was used to. Little Keith was shy around anyone who wasn't Shiro, Pidge was energetic, Lance was sweet, Shiro didn't have his prosthetic or scars and was open and friendly, and Hunk was outgoing.

She took on the role they gave her and took care of them. She didn't know how long they were going to be de-aged, but she was going to make sure they were being taken care of and cared for. She spent time with them one-on-one and with the group. When she was spending one-on-one time with them, Coran watched the others, and when she was watching the group, Coran resumed his search for a solution to the de-aging problem.

There hadn't been any issues until bedtime. She had to carry Pidge to bed and tucked her in, plucking the glasses from her tiny face. "Good night, Pidge."

"Night night, Mom."

Allura checked on Hunk and found him sitting on his bed. She walked over and knelt down next to his bed. She had him lay down and tucked him in. "Mum, can I have a story?"

"Of course." Allura paused. What story could she tell him? She proceeded to tell him a story about the Yellow Lion, which effectively lulled him to sleep.

She stepped into Keith's room to see him looking at his Marmora knife, which was still in its sheath. She didn't have the heart to take it from him, knowing how much it meant to him. "Hey, Keith. It's bedtime."

The little boy looked up at her and clutched the knife to his chest. "Please don't take it."

"Oh no, Keith. I won't take your knife. In fact, no one will. Did you want to sleep with it under your pillow? That way you know where it is." Keith nodded and slid it under his pillow. Allura tucked him in and noticed that he looked like he wanted something. "Did you want something, sweetie?"

"M-May I have a story, Mama?"

"Of course, sweetheart." She settled next to him and carded her fingers through his long hair, while she weaved a story about the Red Lion and her relation to her current Paladin. During the story, Keith's eyes fluttered closed and his breathing evened out, signaling that he had fallen asleep.

Allura carefully slipped out of Keith's room and over to Lance's. She walked into the room and immediately felt little arms wrap around her leg. "Mamá!"

Allura smiled and picked up Lance. She cuddled him, carrying him to the bed. She set him on the bed and tucked him in. She leaned over and gave him a big hug and three kisses, one on his forehead and one of each cheek. "Good night, sweetie."

"Night night, Mamá!"

Allura entered Shiro's room and was worried when he seemed restless, even though he was sleeping. She hurried over to his side and shook his shoulder. "Shiro...Shiro." He wasn't waking up. _"Takashi!"_

His eyes flew open, tears slipping down his cheeks, and looked at her. "Okāsan?"

Allura scooped Shiro into her lap and rocked him. "It's okay, Takashi. I'm here. I've got you."

Once his breathing was under control, he said, "Okāsan, I don't want to sleep alone."

"Would you like to sleep with Lance? He should still be awake."

Shiro nodded, and Allura carried him next door. She knocked on the door before opening it and calling out softly, "Lance, are you still awake?"

"Yes, Mamá." Allura walked in holding Shiro. "Is Shiro okay?"

"He had a bad dream and doesn't want to sleep alone."

Lance pulled back his blanket, scooted over, and patted the bed next to him. "He can stay here."

Allura set Shiro on the bed and tucked the two boys back in. She stroked Shiro's short hair and gave Lance another forehead kiss. "Good night, boys."

"Night night."

Allura watched as Lance pulled Shiro into his arms, and Shiro snuggled into Lance's chest. She smiled as the door closed. She sighed in relief. As much as she liked them as children, she really hoped Coran could find a cure and return them to their regular ages, so they could continue their work against the Galra Empire.

Fin


	34. Paladins Meet The Guns of Gamara (Svakira, Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When exploring another strange rift, Voltron ends up in the Guns of Gamara universe again and meets a few familiar and yet not familiar faces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is a sequel to "Differences" and is Svakira and Klance.
> 
> Tags: Guns of Gamara AU, Svakira, Klance, Meeting

"Paladins Meet The Guns of Gamara"

Akira was bored. He hated all the paperwork he had to fill out. It was amazing how much paperwork piled up when one was in a coma. Requests to read over and either accept or deny, medical reports to look over, status reports to read, and suggestions to take into consideration. He wished there was a mission or something unusual to take his mind off it.

"Chief, we're getting an unusual reading!" Isamu called out.

Akira's ears twitched, and he stood up and walked over to his best friend. "Unusual, Isa? How unusual?"

"It reminds me of the readings we encountered when we were dealing with the trans reality comet," Sven put in.

"Trans reality comet? When was that?"

"During the time you were in a coma, Aki. It was the mission that ended with me being shot."

"Again _when_ was this?"

Sven looked at Akira and noticed he was making a joke about Sven being shot a lot. "Not funny, Aki."

"Akira, it's a vessel of some sort that has the same signature as the comet," Isamu reported.

"On screen."

The view screen blinked on, and an image of Voltron appeared. Sven gasped and pushed the audio/visual button. "Paladins, identify yourselves."

The image of Voltron was replaced by a figure wearing red and white armor. "This is Keith, Black Paladin."

Keith's image was replaced by a figure wearing blue and white armor, who winked. "Lance, Red Paladin and resident Sharpshooter."

"Pidge, Green Paladin," the figure in green and white armor spoke before they were replaced by a figure in yellow and white armor.

"Hunk, Yellow Paladin."

"Allura, Blue Paladin," replied the figure in pink and white armor.

Sven breathed a sigh of relief. It was the Paladins he was used to. He turned to Akira. "Can they land? These are the ones I told you about."

Akira eyed the large robot. "Can they separate? That thing is too large to land in our hangar."

"Paladins, you may land, but you need to separate into lions to do so," Sven replied, his picture appearing in the lions.

"Sven! You're alive!" Lance exclaimed.

"Roger that," Keith replied. "Voltron, disband."

The giant robot separated into five differently colored lions that flew into the hangar. Akira, Sven, and Isamu were there to greet them. The figure in red approached them first but was cut off by the figure in blue rushing forward and hugging Sven. "It's so good to see you, buddy!"

"Lance, let him go before you get...murdered, if this guy's expression is anything to go by," Keith said. He had noticed Akira's expression, which had darkened when this stranger hugged his boyfriend like they were old friends. Keith had to stop himself from growling.

"Aw, Keith. He's just excited to see the guy who saved his life," Hunk said.

"Yes, but I don't want my...teammate murdered."

"Just admit that you like him," Pidge whispered as she lightly elbowed Keith.

"I will on my own time," Keith nearly hissed.

Akira's expression changed as he realized that this was the Keith Sven had told him about. He approached Keith and held his hand out. "I am Kogane Akira, Captain of the Guns of Gamara."

Keith grasped the offered hand. "Keith Kogane, Black Paladin, leader of Voltron, and member of the Blade of Marmora."

They released their hands, and Akira introduced the other two Guns. "Of course you know Sven. He is my highest skilled Gun and his preferred partner is Slav. The Gun on my other side if Kurogane Isamu, my best infiltrator and my best friend."

"The other Paladins already introduced themselves." Keith removed his helmet. "Before the others do, our Allura is Altean, but she's nothing like the evil Empress from this reality. As the leader of Voltron, I will not stand for her to be attacked based on her race."

"We understand."

The other Paladins removed their helmets to a couple of gasps. Akira, Sven, and Isamu looked up to see Hiroshi and Tsuyoshi standing in the doorway and staring at the new comers.

"I think we need to find a place to sit down and talk," Sven mentioned.

"Agreed," Akira and Keith chorused.

%%%

The two teams gathered in the meeting room, each on a couch. Sven sat as close to Akira as he could without sitting on him, and Isamu was on Akira's other side. Hiroshi was sitting next to Isamu, and Tsuyoshi was sitting next to Sven. The Paladins sat across from their counterparts with Allura sitting across from Sven.

Introductions were exchanged again, and an awkward silence followed. Lance laughed. "Well, this is awkward."

"I'm surprised you hadn't started talking, Lance. Normally, you don't shut up," Keith replied.

"Well, I don't know what to say for once."

"Never stopped you before."

"Shut your quiznack."

Akira and Sven exchanged amused looks, the former saying, "Why don't you just admit your feelings for each other? It'll be less painful, especially to those around you."

Keith and Lance both blushed and stared in the opposite direction. Hunk and Pidge laughed. "Thank you for calling them out. Their pining is annoying."

"And disgusting," Pidge added. Their teammates' comments made Keith and Lance blush brighter.

Keith turned his head slightly and snuck a glance at Lance. He was really cute. Would it be that bad to confess? He turned fully to Lance. "Lance, I like you."

"Really? Since when?"

"Since we rescued Shiro from the quarantine tent."

"Ha. I've like you longer. I've had a crush on you since the Garrison."

"It's not a contest, idiot."

"Of course, it is. We compete with each other. That's our thing!"

Keith rolled his eyes but smiled as he slipped his hand into Lance's. They may not have meant to slip into this other reality, but it was a good idea.

Fin


	35. Missing Mates (Regeith)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regris misses his mate when he visits the Paladins. What he doesn't realize its that Keith feels the same way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is an AU where Regris survived. This is a short, fluffy Regeith ficlet.
> 
> Tags: Regeith, Krolia is a good mom, Supportive Paladins

"Missing Mates"

Regris whimpered. He wanted his mate back in his arms, but unfortunately, Keith was visiting the Paladins on the castle ship and wouldn't be back for a couple of quintants. Regris knew he shouldn't be this much of a mess, especially since he and Keith hadn't mated yet, but he missed his little Blade.

Krolia peeked into the nest, and her heart went out to her son's mate. Even though Regris was barely an adult, she still considered him a kit. She slipped into the nest and pulled him into her arms. He clutched her uniform top, whimpering a little. Not liking him whimpering, Krolia groomed his headfur.

%%%

Keith piloted the pod into the hangar. He was missing his mate so much that he was finding it hard to concentrate and find happiness in anything. He made his apologies to his friends and was grateful that the Paladins understood what he was going through and told him to go back early. Each of them hugged Keith and insisted that he visit again but with Regris this time.

Keith exited the pod and rushed to the familial nest. The door whooshed open to reveal his mom grooming his mate. He dove into the nest and chirped. Regris's head shot up, and he responded with a rumble. Krolia backed up and let Keith tuck himself under Regris's chin. Keith nuzzled his mate and purred. Regris curled around Keith and purred back to him.

"Why are you back early?" Krolia asked, nuzzling her son's neck.

"I wasn't having a good trip. It wasn't the Paladins' fault though. I couldn't concentrate or find happiness in anything, even training. I missed Reg too much. The Paladins insisted that I visit again soon and bring Regris with me."

"I would love to visit the Paladins with you, my mate," Regris purred to him.

Keith sighed and soaked up the affection from his mom and his mate. It felt so good to be home.

Fin


	36. Lesson Plan Helper (Adashi) *

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam asks Keith for advice on lesson plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This short ficlet is pre-canon, Adashi, and was suggested by KitCat1995.
> 
> Tags: Adashi, Pre-Canon, Young Teen Keith, Lesson Plans, Request

"Lesson Plan Helper"

Adam buried his head in his hands. Why were lesson plans so hard? His boyfriend wasn't much help either. There were a couple of good reasons for it. He wasn't a teacher, and he was just in his early twenties.

Speaking of his boyfriend, he was outside racing hover bikes with his protégé. The young cadet was a brilliant pilot as well as all the other areas taught at the Garrison. Adam's head shot up. That was it! _Keith_ could help him! He had about an hour before the cadet would come back, and he had to have some kind of plan in the works.

%%%

Keith had the biggest smile on his face. He had finally tried that cliff dive and succeeded. Even losing to Shiro again couldn't wipe the smile off Keith's face. He was in such a good mood, he challenged Shiro a footrace to his front door.

They busted through the front door, making an obscene amount of noise as they did so. Adam was seated at the table with his lesson plans spread out in front of him. For once, he didn't seem to mind the noise they were making. On the contrary, he had a grin on his face. He turned to face Keith, slid a worksheet closer to him, and asked, "Keith, are these questions too hard?"

"If I do it now, do I have to do it again in class?"

"Just look like you are."

"Deal."

Shiro looked horrified. _"Adam!"_

"What? It's not like he's _not_ doing the work. He's just doing it early and turning it in at the end of the class."

Keith looked up and down the worksheet. "How long do I have?"

"An hour."

Keith grinned devilishly. "Challenge accepted."

Fin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note 2: Keith did indeed finish it within the hour, and Adam assigned it the next day. James tried to get Keith in trouble for not doing the work, but Keith just waved the completed worksheet in his face, which effectively shut him up and got him angry. Adam collected Keith's work and let him read in peace.


	37. Precious Paladin (Mama Red Lion)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith visits Red after being locked out of the training deck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Mama Red Lion.
> 
> Tags: Mama Red Lion, Tired Keith

"Precious Paladin"

Keith dragged himself into Red's hangar. He was so keyed up and irritated at the same time. Someone locked the training deck, and he had been wanting to train in order to tire himself out so he could sleep. However, since the training deck was locked, he decided to visit Red.

Red always like when her Paladin visited her. They had such a strong bond. She knelt down and opened her mouth, allowing him entrance. He gratefully entered her mouth and sank into the cockpit seat. "Hi, Red."

"Hello, my cub. Come join me through our bond."

Keith smiled and closed his eyes. He easily found and followed his bond with Red through the flash of light that always made him shield his eyes. When he opened his eyes, he saw the fluffy, real lioness form of his lion, who was laying down, waiting for him. He walked over and cuddled up next to her. His seven-year-old self made it easy to curl up next to Red. He sighed happily and closed his eyes.

She wasn't the biggest lion, but she was his. She was warm and comfortable to lie against. She was a constant presence even when they weren't physically together. He could always feel her in the back of his mind, tempering his anger and making sure he never felt alone.

Red purred softly to her cub, not surprised when he purred back to her. It was a sign that he was asleep, because he usually purred when he was sleeping. She shifted slightly to curl around him and protect her precious Paladin as he slept.

Fin


	38. Drawn To Each Other (Broganes, Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fire fey Keith meets a gorgeous water fey when he is flying through a forest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is fey Klance with a brief mention of fey broganes.It's also very short.
> 
> Tags: Broganes, Klance, Fey AU, Water Fey Lance, Fire Fey Keith

"Drawn To Each Other"

Keith darted back and forth, hoping to find a place to hide. His brother, Shiro, always wanted him to practice hiding, especially since his wings, being crimson and black, stood out in most floral settings. At that moment, he was trying to hide in a forest but wasn't having any luck. However, the forest felt unusual. Most of them felt unsafe and claustrophobic; this one felt like neither. In fact, he felt like it was drawing him closer to its center. He allowed the forest to lead him on.

He came upon a clearing and saw a gorgeous brunette fey kneeling near a crystal blue lake. His blue and white wings had an opalescent sheen to them that stole his breath. When the other fey turned around, Keith gasped. He was absolutely gorgeous. His eyes were the same color as the lake he was standing near.

Lance was slightly surprised by the appearance of the other fey. The lake had whispered to him about someone approaching, and Lance knew better than to be scared. The water of this forest wouldn't let anything harm him or let anyone wishing him harm to approach. He was breathtakingly beautiful. His crimson and black wings were a stark contrast to his own blue and white, and his dark hair was long and constantly obscured his stunning purple eyes.

Lance felt himself being drawn to the other fey and let his wings fly him closer. "Hi. I'm Lance and I don't think I've seen you before."

"I'm Keith, and I'm sure we haven't met before. I would like to get to know you though."

"I would like that."

Fin 


	39. Little Shiro (Age Regression)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith could tell Shiro didn't want to want to be at the banquet, and as a caregiver, he wanted to make sure his little was comfortable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is age regression with Little Shiro and Daddy Keith.
> 
> Tags: Age regression, Little Shiro, Daddy Keith

"Little Shiro"

Keith was worried about Shiro. Voltron had defended a planet and drove out the Galra who had conquered the planet many deca-phoebes ago. The inhabitants were grateful and decided to throw a banquet in their honor. Allura had accepted without checking with everyone, and Shiro was in between head spaces.

It was easy for Keith to tell, especially since Shiro had accepted him as his caregiver. Normally, Shiro would be talking with the inhabitants and dignitaries, but at that moment, Shiro was staying near Keith, who definitely didn't interact with the inhabitants. Due to his proximity, Keith had a hand on his hip, keeping it subtle enough to not draw attention to Shiro's current head space.

"Daddy?"

The little voice startled him slightly, but he still replied, "Yes, sweetie?"

"Too many people. Scary"

"Oh, baby, I'm sorry." Keith pulled out his communicator. "Lance, do you hear me?"

"What'cha need, Mullet?"

"Shiro's not feeling well. I'm taking him back to the castle."

"Is he okay?"

"He's a _little_ under the weather." Keith knew stressing that specific word would allow Lance know what the situation was without letting anyone eavesdropping know anything.

"Roger that, Samurai. I'll let the rest of the team know that Shiro is ill and that you're _caring_ for him." Lance deactivated the comm link.

Keith led Shiro out of the alien palace. "Daddy, up?"

"In a little bit, baby. I need you to be a little patient for Daddy." Keith didn't like denying his baby little things like that. Fortunately for both the caregiver and his little, it wasn't much longer.

Keith was able to scoop up his baby due to his strength not only as a caregiver but as a Galra hybrid. Shiro nuzzled his Daddy's shoulder. He loved him so much.

Keith carried his little into the castle and to his room. He pulled out Shiro's little stuff and changed him into a diaper and into a sleeper. He urged a pacifier into his mouth and carried him over to his bed. They settled on the bed, Shiro cuddling his Daddy and sucking on his pacifier. Keith carded his fingers through his little's short hair, giving him a measure of relief.

"Love you, Daddy."

"Love you, too, baby."

Fin


	40. Flower Crowns (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith and Lance met by chance and aren't about to let the other slip through their fingers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is mer Klance.
> 
> Tags: Klance, Mer Lance, Mer Keith, Flowers

"Flower Crowns"

Lance was laying in a field of red and blue sea flowers, weaving them into two crown shapes and his tail almost blending in with the blue flowers. He had just met _the_ perfect mer. He had black shoulder-length hair that seemed to dance in the currents, purple eyes that only hinted at the depth of his heart, and the most vibrant red tail that ended in a pair of transparent fins. They had met just a few days prior when they both saved a whale calf from a hungry shark and managed to return her to her worried mother's side.

"Daydreaming of me?"

Lance jerked his head up and smiled as he saw it was only his perfect mer. "And why shouldn't I?"

Keith grinned at Lance. He loved the way Lance looked. Once they had reunited the calf with her mother, he had time to look at who exactly had assisted him. He had never seen the mer before and was enraptured by what he saw. Lance had short brown hair that reminded Keith of the color of the sunken human ships that lay submerged and broken on the sea floor. Lance's blue eyes matched his tail, which matched the blue flowers that Lance was sitting among and had in his hands, which were linked with the red flowers.

"What are those?" Keith asked, pointing to the flower crowns.

"You've never made flower crowns before?" Lance gently picked one up and showed Keith what it was

"What's it for?"

"This." Lance put the one he was holding on Keith's head, letting the flowers nestle into his hair before putting the other one he made onto his own head.

Keith gingerly touched the crown before smiling at Lance. "I love it."

Lance loved seeing that smile and decided that he would do anything to keep seeing that smile. "I'll make you a flower crown every day for the rest of our lives if it'll make you happy."

Fin


	41. Reassurance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Keith re-aged, he still wants to be held.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is a post de-aging ficlet. Keith had been de-aged into a baby for a few days and Lance took care of him. This is NOT an age regression ficlet.
> 
> Tags: Post Deaging, Comforting Lance

"Reassurance"

Keith sat bolt up, gasping for air and gripping his blanket in both hands. He looked around his room, his breath catching in his throat as he realized that he was alone. He wasn't sure what he thought of that anymore. He had just spent the past few quintants as a baby in Lance's care. The Blue Paladin was unsurprisingly good at caring for babies. Keith was glad that Lance didn't ignore him or mistreat him in any way. In fact, the brunette constantly cuddled him and held him. Keith wrapped his arms around himself, trying to comfort himself and failing. He knew what he wanted now. Even though he was back to being a teenager, he still wanted to be held.

He stood up and left his room, dragging his blanket with him. He made his way to Lance's room and knocked on the door. He didn't have long to wait. The door opened, revealing a slightly disheveled Lance on the other side. He yawned. "Keith? Buddy, what's up?"

Keith looked up at Lance with tears in his eyes. "Lance."

Instantly, Lance was more alert. He pulled the slightly shorter teen into his arms. "Hey, cariño. It's okay. I've got you."

Keith nuzzled Lance's shoulder, where his head was nestled, and whimpered a little. Lance gently led Keith into his room. "Did you have a bad dream, cariño? Do you want some company?"

Keith nodded, not feeling up to talking. Lance scooped him up and carried him to the bed. Keith was surprised that Lance could carry him so easily. Lance sat down on the bed, settling Keith onto his lap. He rearranged the blanket to have it covering Keith's front and carded his fingers through his long hair, humming an old Spanish lullaby he had long forgotten the words to.

Keith relaxed fully in Lance's arms. His eyes slid closed as he listened to Lance humming. This felt so good that he started purring, glad that Lance was still willing to help him, even though he was back to being a teenager.

Fin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy birthday, Keith!


	42. Pictures (Krolia/Keith's Dad)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After visiting his Dad's grave, Keith takes Krolia back to the shack. Keith looks for pictures, not knowing that his mom knew where they were hidden.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is canon compliant and takes place between Seasons 7 and 8.
> 
> Tags: Canon compliant, Krolia/Keith's dad, Pictures

"Pictures"

Keith took a deep breath and pushed open the door to his father's room in his shack. Back when he lived there after getting kicked out of the Garrison, he _never_ opened his father's door. He couldn't bring himself to. Now, he was more mature and had his mother by his side.

Krolia was impressed by her son. He was so strong, always thinking about others before himself (even though he hardly thought of himself). This part of his past was rough and made him grow up far quicker than he should have, and there he was facing it once more, but at least, she was there with him.

The door opened with a barely audible creak, a testament to the amount of time that had passed. The amount of dust on everything didn't surprise either Kogane. Krolia drew up beside her son and placed a hand on his shoulder. He reached up and covered her hand with his and gave her wrist a quick nuzzle. Keith walked forward, Krolia letting her hand fall from his shoulder. He picked up every picture frame from every flat surface.

Calvin Kogane loved displaying pictures of himself and Keith. As a kid, Keith had always wondered why there were no pictures of his mom. Now that he met her, Keith assumed that his dad didn't keep any pictures of her because it might have alerted the authorities that something wasn't right.

Krolia watched as her son methodically went through the drawers and cabinets, looking for more pictures. She knew he wouldn't find what he was looking for. Calvin had hidden any pictures of her in a secret compartment of his bed. She knelt down and moved the mattress away from the headboard. She reached behind the headboard and grabbed a key that was taped to the handmade piece. She then unlocked the hidden compartment in the box springs. The drawer popped open and there was an album of pictures. She pulled out the book and the few loose pictures scattered underneath. She shut the drawer and stowed the key in her pocket.

Keith walked over to his mom, and his breath caught in his throat. There were the pictures he always wanted to see in his youth: his parents holding him as a baby. He gently plucked the picture out of his mom's claws and gingerly held it in his hands. His parents looked so happy in that picture, love just radiating from them; love for each other and the tiny baby nestled in her arms as Calvin took the picture himself. Krolia packed all of the pictures except for what Keith was holding and the album she found into the bag he had brought along for that purpose.

"Kit, come with me. I want to show you these pictures."

Keith looked up at his mom with tears in his eyes. She rumbled to him and gently guided him into the main room of the shack. He sank down onto his couch, and Krolia sat next to him. She plucked the picture from his hands and placed it to the side. She opened the photo album across both of their laps. The first few pictures were of a wounded Krolia recovering on the couch. The next few were of them exploring Blue's cave. After the picture of finding the Blue Lion, the next few pages were of pregnant Krolia. Then, baby Keith appeared in the rest of the pictures.

As Krolia showed Keith the pictures of his babyhood, tears gathered in his eyes and slid down his cheeks. Krolia set the book off to the side and gathered her son in her arms. She held him as he cried tears for a father taken too soon from him.

Fin


	43. Surgery (Non-series Mama Krolia, Mentor Shiro)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith was severely injured when the Paladins crashed landed after getting rid of the Komar mech. Shiro had to make the decision whether or not Keith would receive the surgery he needed to save his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is canon compliant with a little head canon thrown in. This takes place at the end of Season 7.
> 
> Tags: Canon Compliant, Mama Krolia, Mentor Shiro, Tough Decision, Life Saving Surgery

"Surgery"

Shiro had his head buried in his hands. He couldn't believe he had to make the call. When the Paladins crashed back to Earth after launching the Komar mech into space, the Garrison rushed to rescue the heros of Earth. All of the Paladins had varying degrees of injuries with Keith being the most severely injured to the point of needing life saving surgery. With Keith listed as an orphan on Earth and Shiro as his mentor, the decision was up to Shiro. Shiro didn't feel that he was the right person to make the call, but Krolia wasn't there, and she trusted him to take care of her son.

%%%

Keith felt like he was floating. He was getting glimpses of things that didn't feel right. There were doors that opened in front of him, lights that flew overhead, voices that sounded far away and too close at the same time, and then nothing as his eyes closed again.

When Keith once again came to, he wasn't alone. His mom was sitting on his bed next to his legs, and Kolivan was sitting in a chair near the window. However, it was neither of them that spoke first. There was someone to Keith's right that sounded stressed. "Keith! I'm so glad you're all right."

Keith tiredly turned his head and saw Shiro sitting by his head. "Shiro, hi. Wh-what happened?"

Shiro carefully grabbed Keith's hand that didn't have an IV stuck into it. "I'm sorry, Keith. I know you don't like it, but it was the only way to save your life."

"What are you saying, Shiro?"

"You needed surgery to save your life."

Keith froze. He never liked the idea of having someone cutting into him like he was some kind of experiment. "Why...why would you agree to that?"

"Because I asked him to take care of you."

Keith turned his head to look at his mom. "But, Mama-"

"Shh, kit. Listen, I'm glad he made that call. I don't know if I could handle arriving here only to hear another love of my life wasn't alive anymore."

Tears leaped to Keith's eyes. He hadn't thought how his death would have affected others. He wasn't used to having others that would miss him if he were to die. Krolia stood up and neared his head. He locked eyes with her and whined softly. She gently nuzzled his head and rumbled. He wanted her to pick him up and hold him. He had been separated from her for too long and missed having that closeness.

Krolia carefully scooped up Keith and settled him on her lap. He whimpered as he settled on her lap again. After a minute, he sighed and cuddled up against her. Krolia's hands hovered over her kit's body. She locked eyes with Shiro and asked, "What did they need to do to save my kit?"

"He had some internal bleeding in his abdomen that they had to stop and a concussion."

Keith whimpered a little at what was done to him. He relaxed a bit as he felt his mom wrap her arms around his chest and groom his hair. He was glad his mom was there. As long as she was there for him, he felt like he could handle this.

Fin


	44. Sleeping Over (Mama Krolia, Adashi)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro invites Keith to a sleepover at his and Adam's place and Matt is coming too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is a set of one shots for the Mama Krolia series depicting Keith's adventures on Earth and/or at the Garrison.
> 
> Tags: Mama Krolia, Garrison/Eartg Hijinks, Sleep Over, Pizza, Adashi

"Sleeping __ Over"

"You're inviting me over for the weekend?" Keith was trying hard to contain his excitement. He didn't like sleeping in the dorms at the Garrison.

"Yeah. It's called a slumber party. Matt is coming, and you know I live with Adam."

Keith grinned. He liked how Adam and Shiro acted around each other, and Matt was funny. He had met Matt after getting accepted into the fighter pilot program after all.

"Besides, I figured you'd like some time away from the Garrison after that incident with James Griffin."

The smiled on Keith's face fell. Just a few months into his mission, and he almost got found out. He didn't know why Griffin had a problem with him. He was just trying to stay out of everyone's way and make notes for his report to Kolivan.

Shiro noticed the smile fall from Keith's face. He hadn't wanted to make Keith sad. He carefully wrapped an arm around Keith's shoulders and gave a squeeze, which prompted Keith to give him a smile. "That's better. Go ahead and pack a bag. I'll meet you at the gates in ten minutes."

Keith grinned and entered his room. He didn't have much to pack, but he had to make sure to bring his powder with him. He wasn't going to be caught in a situation where he needed it and he didn't have it. He threw it, some clothes, and toiletries into a bag and left his room. He had been careful to tuck his Mom's Blade in his clothes, so it wasn't easily seen.

He met Shiro at the gate with a minute left to spare. Shiro grinned and wrapped an arm around Keith's shoulders, leading him over to a hover bike. Keith climbed on behind Shiro and hung onto his waist. Shiro started the bike and drove them to the apartment he shared with Adam. It wasn't that long of a drive, but Keith loved the speed and feeling the wind blow through his hair. He hoped Shiro would let him drive sometime.

They dismounted the bike, and Shiro let him into the apartment and led him to the front room, where Matt and Adam were hanging out. Matt perked up when he saw them. "Hey, Keith!"

"Hi, Matt," Keith carefully put his bag off to the side and prepared for Matt to tackle him, which he did. It was another thing Keith learned about Matt in particular. The older cadet loved to tackle his close friends. However, he could never take down Shiro or Adam, so he just hung on their backs (like he did when Shiro was giving Keith the tour of the building). 

Once Keith pinned Matt and the older one of the duo wasn't able to get up, Matt panted and asked, "So, when's the pizza getting here?"

Adam gasped in mock outrage. "How dare you assume we ordered pizza?! I can cook!"

Keith let up Matt, who replied, "Yeah, but what's a sleepover without pizza?"

Keith gathered from the conversation that pizza was a type of food. He hoped it was good.

Just then, the doorbell rang. Matt ran to get it, but Shiro beat him to the door. He pushed him back. "You don't get to answer it. You don't have any money."

"Not on me," Matt retorted.

Shiro opened the door and paid and tipped the pizza delivery person. He carried in ten large pizzas. Keith's eyes widened at the large cardboard boxes these pizzas came in. He had to fight the questioning noise rising in his throat, but he did cock his head. Why were there so many, if there was only four of them at this party? Were they expecting more people?

Shiro noticed Keith's cocked head and wide eyes and chuckled. "We got a selection of pizzas since we didn't know what toppings you liked. We also don't have to worry about any going to waste, because Matt here will eat any pizza."

"I do not." Matt's cheeks flushed.

"Oh yes you do. I recall you ate a large, cheese stuffed crust pizza with garlic parmesan white sauce and topped with Italian sausage, salami, pepperoni, banana peppers, black olives, pineapple, and extra extra cheese," Shiro replied.

"By yourself," Adam added.

"Hey. Don't gang up on me! Keith, save me!"

Keith chuckled. "Sorry, Matt. I'm no match for the combined efforts of those two." He edged closer to the table, where Shiro stacked the boxes. "Which toppings did you get?"

"This stack is pepperoni." Shiro opened the top box of a stack of four. "This is just cheese." He opened the top most box of a stack of two. "And this is sausage." Shiro opened the top box on the stack of three.

Keith noticed a box all by its lonesome. "What about that one?"

Shiro grinned. "This one is Matt's challenge. It's a BBQ sauced pizza with ham, beef, jalapeño peppers, onions, diced tomatoes, roasted red peppers, spinach, and extra cheese. It's a tradition when Matt is at a sleepover here that he has a pizza challenge." Shiro shook his head. "I swear he looks forward to it."

Shiro whisked the box over to Matt as Keith crept closer to the pizza boxes set up on the table. He looked at the larger stack and took a covert sniff. It seemed safe and smelled wonderful. He took a peek over his shoulder at the three humans and noticed they were occupied with Matt's attempts at eating his challenge. Keith covertly took pictures of each of the pizzas and would figure out how to get them into his report to Kolivan. He slipped his data pad back into his pocket and took a slice of each topping. He figured he should try each one so he could at least describe the taste. He carefully walked back to where Matt was trying to finish the challenge pizza. Keith picked up the piece of pepperoni pizza and bit into it. He couldn't help the chirp he made. Fortunately, it was muffled by the bite of pizza and the laughter of Shiro and Adam. This pizza was delicious! He could see why Shiro ordered so much of it. He practically inhaled the pepperoni slice before moving onto the others. The cheese one was okay as was the sausage one, but Keith preferred the pepperoni topped one. He grabbed the top most pepperoni pizza box and sat down near the trio of humans, content to watch their antics as he ate what was quickly becoming his favorite human food.

Fin


	45. Not Sleeping (DoM)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith is once again training late into the night, much to his pack's displeasure. Antok decides to get him and carry his kit off the training deck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, and Antok survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. 
> 
> Tags: DoM, Keith trains too much

"Not Sleeping"

Keith slashed another gladiator bot before wiping the sweat from his brow. "Start training level fifteen."

He readied his stance and gripped his two swords a little tighter. He knew he shouldn't be on the training deck this late, but he had discovered the code that kept it locked at night and began to use it again in lieu of sleeping. It wasn't that he wasn't sleeping, but when he invariably had a nightmare, he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep, so instead of wasting time trying and failing to get some more sleep, Keith decided to use the time to get more training in. He had started using only one sword at a time but that had been too easy, so he unsheathed his Marmora blade and continued rising in levels but this time dual-wielding.

%%%

Antok growled lowly as he stalked through the castle ship. His pack's kit hadn't come back to the nest after the dinner meal. Initially, they weren't bothered by it as he had been spending time with the other Paladins before bed. He also had been falling asleep with either Lance or Shiro in the lounge; however, not that night. Both Lance and Shiro were in their rooms, sleeping, and Keith was nowhere to be found. Well, not nowhere. Antok knew where his errant kit was at that moment. He had apparently learned the code that locked the training deck at night and began training again late into the night.

His enhanced hearing picked up the tell-tale clang of metal upon metal. He growled louder and almost wrenched the doors open with his claws. Seeing his kit training caused Antok's eyes to flash. He stepped closer and roared, his displeasure obvious.

Keith flinched when he heard the roar. He quickly dispatched the last gladiator before turning to face his largest pack member. "Antok?"

"Kit, come here," he growled

Keith didn't dare disobey that tone of voice. He deactivated his bayard and sheathed his Marmora blade, hurrying over to the tailed Blade. Without hesitating, Antok picked him up and flung him over his shoulder, carrying him off of the training deck and to their nest room. He deposited him down in the middle of the nest. Keith looked around and saw all four members of his pack lounging in the nest. He fidgeted nervously as they all stared at him. He knew it was a battle of wills, and he was losing. He whimpered. "I'm sorry."

Thace drew Keith closer and against his chest. He stroked his kit's long hair gently with his claws. "We know, kit, but this isn't the first time, we've had to drag you off the training deck. It probably won't be the last either, but please keep the training to a minimum. If you are having trouble sleeping, come to us. Any one of us would be willing to lay with you. Kits sleep easier with a member of their pack nearby."

As if his body was proving Thace right, Keith felt his eyes droop and his body go lax. He snuggled against the violet furred Galra and let himself drift off, his breathing becoming the soft purrs of a sleeping kit. As the purrs filled the nest, the four adults breathed a sigh of relief. Sometimes it wasn't easy getting Keith to sleep but sometimes his instincts made it simple.

Fin 


	46. Missing Her (Mama Black)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Black Lion is worried about her Paladin and is prompted by another to check on him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Mama Black Lion.
> 
> Tags: Mama Black Lion, Canon Compliant, Hurting Keith

"Missing Her"

Keith awoke with a loud whine, panting heavily. He was glad that he had sent everyone away to a different lion and let Black know that he was going to take a small nap since they were traveling through a boring sector of space. However, his mind wouldn't allow him a moment's reprieve, and he had had a nightmare.

"Are you okay, little one?" Black asked through their bond.

Keith tucked his legs against his chest. "Yeah. Yeah. It was nothing."

Black scoffed. "With that whine? Doubtful."

"Don't worry about it."

"Don't make me get Red in here!"

Keith sighed. "It's just I miss my mom, okay? We grew close during our time on the space whale, which was two deca-phoebes for us. Now, she is gone, and I miss her."

Black purred to her Paladin. "You're okay, little one."

"I'm going to try to get some more sleep. Let me know if something happens."

Black lowered the lights in her cockpit to allow her precious Paladin some much needed rest and waited for him to close his eyes before reaching out through a mostly dormant bond. "You were right, Shiro. He was hurting. His mother being gone did more damage than anyone realized."

"Just keep an eye on him. We'll do what we can to hopefully reunite them soon."

"You need to get some rest too."

"I do."

"Now."

Shiro blushed. "Okay. You win. Good night, Black."

As Shiro drifted off to sleep, he swore he could feel fur brush against his cheek. "Good night, my cub."

Fin


	47. Misremembrance (Mama Red, Mama Black, non-series Mama Krolia)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith is confused and hurt when everyone claims to have never met Krolia, but why don't they remember her when he has?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is mostly canon compliant with a little head canon of Mama Red Lion and Mama Black Lion.
> 
> Tags: Mama Red, Mama Black, Mama Krolia, Nightmare

"Misremembrance"

"Mama, could you," Keith turned around. "Mama?"

Krolia was nowhere to be found in the lion's cockpit. Keith looked down at the floor near his pilot's seat, where Cosmo was laying."Where is she? Did you teleport her to a different lion?"

When he didn't get any response from his wolf, Keith turned on the comms to the other lions. "Hey guys, is my mother in one of your lions?"

"Mother? What are you talking about, Mullet? You told us yourself you're an orphan," Lance answered from Red Lion.

"Lance, I came back from the Quantum Abyss with my wolf, Romelle, and my mother. Her name is Krolia."

"I don't remember anyone named Krolia when I met you. It was just you and your wolf, Keith," Romelle stated. "Are you okay?"

"No. This isn't right. I was reunited with her on a Blade mission right after the Kral Zera."

"Maybe I should come over and see if Black will let me pilot her so you can get some rest, Keith, especially if you are hallucinating," Shiro suggested.

"No, Shiro. I'm all right. Sorry to bother you all." Keith turned off the comms and pulled his legs up to his chest in the seat. He couldn't have just imagined it. He had never had imagined his mother before, so why would he do that now?

%%%

Keith whined out loud in his sleep, tossing and turning in his small nest in the back of the Black Lion. Gentle claws combing through his hair soothed him. He cracked an eye open and, to his relief, saw his mother sitting next to him in their nest. He held his arms out and whimpered.

Krolia scooped up her kit and wasn't surprised when he tucked himself under her chin. It was his favorite position, and she loved the closeness it provided. After eighteen deca-phoebes apart, they needed all the proximity they could. The two deca-phoebes on the space whale renewed their bond as mother and kit, and they took every moment they could to strengthen that bond.

Krolia rumbled to her kit. "Are you okay, kit?"

Keith whimpered. "It was a bad dream, Mama. No one remembered you and claimed that they had never met you, but I remembered reuniting with you."

Krolia tightened her hold on her kit. "Do you want to talk to the other Paladins to reassure you that they know me?"

Keith paused. Did he? "I do, but I don't want to leave your arms."

"I had no intention of making you leave, kit." Krolia stood up, picking Keith up in the process. She made her way to the cockpit and sat in the pilot's seat with Keith on her lap. She quickly turned on the comms to all of the lions. "Is everyone awake?"

"Everyone in Blue is awake," Allura replied, referencing herself and her fellow Alteans.

"Both of us in Green are awake," Pidge answered for herself and Shiro.

"Yellow Lion is here."

"Red Lion checking in."

"What's wrong, Krolia?" Shiro asked.

"Well, that's one. Keith had a nightmare where no one remembered me and claimed to never have met me. It disturbed him greatly."

"Trust us, Mullet. Your mom is no one anyone could forget. For one, you two look so much alike, the only major difference, aside from gender, is the fact that you're not purple."

Keith rolled his eyes. "Thanks, Lance."

"It would be hard for me to forget either of you," Romelle added. "You two helped rescue me from the colony."

"Yeah, buddy. Your mom is amazing," Hunk added.

"We all think so," Allura put in.

"Of course we do," Coran agreed.

Pidge nodded. "We're also glad that you were able to reunite with her and spend some actual time with just her. Well, her and Cosmo."

Keith smiled and leaned a little further against his mom. "Thanks, guys. Hearing that makes me feel better."

"No problem, Keith. Why don't you get some more rest before Black takes it upon herself to make you?" Shiro suggested.

Keith chuckled. "From your tone, I'm guessing she's done that before?"

"Yes. She has such a mom attitude about her."

Keith grinned widely. "So does Red."

Lance cocked his head to the side. "Well, she said that someone had to look after you in your mom's place."

"Tell her thank you from me, Lance," Krolia responded. "Now, I am going to take my kit back to our nest to guarantee that he does rest. Thank you again, everyone."

A chorused "you're welcome" was heard before Krolia turned off the comms. She stood up and carried a half awake Keith back to their nest. She settled in their nest and let him lay on her with his head once again tucked under her chin. She purred to him, lulling him to sleep.

"Sleep well, Keith."

"Love you, Mama."

"Love you, too, my kit." Krolia turned her head and gently nosed his hair, smiling when she heard his purr.

Fin 


	48. A Little Sick (Age Regression)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith isn't feeling well and is little too. He is trying to hide it, but Lance is perceptive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is age regression with sick Little Keith, Daddy Lance, and Caregiver Shiro.
> 
> Tags: Age Regression, Little Keith, Daddy Lance, Caregiver Shiro, Sick Keith

"A Little Sick"

Lance was worried about Keith. He hadn't been seen all day, which meant he hadn't eaten all day either. Was he on the training deck again? The Red Paladin lost all sense of time when he trained. Lance didn't like it and decided to check on him and pull him off the training deck if necessary.

He walked to the training deck and was surprised that it wasn't in use. He blinked at the darkened room. Where would he be? With Red Lion or maybe even Black? No. Something was wrong. Lance could feel it. What was it? He let his feet take him where they wanted to, and he ended up in front of Keith's room. He knocked on the door. "Keith? Buddy, are you in there?"

A series of sniffles from inside worried Lance. He hurriedly opened the door and entered the room. It wasn't dark, but it was definitely dimmer than the corridor. Lance had to let his eyes adjust to the dimmer lighting and was able to make out a lump in Keith's nest. Keith was obviously under one of the many blankets. "Keith?"

"G-Go away...Lance."

"Not happening."

%%%

Keith knew not showing up for anything was going to worry people, especially Lance. His caregiver was bound to go looking for him, but he was feeling too sick and too little to do anything about it himself. He heard knocking on the door and a voice calling out, "Keith? Buddy, are you in there?"

It was D-Lance. Keith wanted to call out, to tell him that he wanted him but also wanted him to stay away. He was so conflicted that all he could do was sniffle, which caused Lance to open the door. A few ticks went by before he heard Lance's voice again. "Keith?"

"G-Go away...Lance." He had to force himself not to call him Daddy. He knew the tick he did that Lance wouldn't leave him alone.

"Not happening."

Well, apparently Lance wasn't leaving anyway. Keith peeked out from under his blanket and locked eyes with Lance. "Daddy."

Lance was at his side in an instant. "Hey, cariño. It's okay. Daddy's here."

"Daddy. Don't feel good."

"I know, baby. How about I get you changed, and then you can get some rest?"

"Yeah."

Lance gently pulled his little from the nest and was pleasantly surprised that he was still dry. He laid him down and set about changing his clothes, finding out that Keith was wearing a pull up. "You are such a good baby, sweetie. You knew you weren't feeling good and put on a pull up just in case. Now, let's get you all fixed up."

He switched out his t-shirt and jeans for a red sleeper with white accents and his pull up for a diaper. He scooped him up and settled into the nest with his little nestled between his legs. He had his little's three favorite comfort items with him; a fuzzy red blanket, a stuffed Red Lion, and a white pacifier with a red 'V' on the outside. He offered the pacifier to him, but the little pushed it away.

"Don't want your paci, cariño? What about your lion or your blankie?"

Keith eagerly slipped both of his other comfort items into his arms and cuddled with them, whispering, "Don feel good."

"Are you hungry or thirsty, cariño? You haven't had anything all day." Not getting a response, Lance continued, "What about if I call Shiro and ask him to make you a bottle with some medicine in it? It should make you feel better?"

Lance more felt his little nod than anything and pulled out his data pad. "Hey, Shiro. Keith doesn't feel good and needs a bottle with some meds in it."

"How sick is he?"

"'Kashi."

"Hey, baby. I'm sorry you don't feel good."

"Daddy here."

"I know he is, and I'm glad. You sound like you have the sniffles."

"Uh-huh and hot."

"Your throat probably hurts."

"Yeah."

"All right, baby. I'll get your medicine and bring you a bottle. You stay with your Daddy. I'll be by soon."

"Bye bye, 'Kashi." Keith buried his face in Lance's shirt.

"Bye, sweetie. I'll be by soon, Lance."

"We're in Keith's room. Bye, Shiro." Lance terminated the link and spent the time trying to soothe his little. He was grateful when there was a knock on the door. Shiro opened the door slowly and made his way over to the nest. "Hi, Shiro."

"Hi, Lance. Hey, sweetie. I got a drink for you."

Keith tiredly lifted his head in the direction of his other caregiver and whimpered. Lance took the offered drink and held it up to his little's mouth. Keith sucked the nipple into his mouth and suckled it, closing his eyes to show he was enjoying his drink.

Lance sighed. "Thanks, Shiro. I was so worried about him, especially since he was trying to push me away until I said I wasn't going anywhere."

Shiro reached out and stroked Keith's hair. "His little side was probably confused because he was ill. Keith usually takes care of himself when he's sick."

"I wish he didn't think he has to. I don't mind taking care of him even if he wasn't little."

"You should let him know that, when he feels better and is out of little space, which might take longer this time due to his illness and him fighting it."

"I don't mind taking care of him, no matter how long he's little."

"I'll leave you two here then. Besides, it looks like he's already asleep."

Shiro left the room as Lance eased the half full bottle away from the slackened mouth of his little. He set it down nearby in case he woke up and wanted more. Noticing the little's tongue was moving as if he was still sucking in his sleep, Lance snagged the previously rejected pacifier and slipped it in. Keith sucked on his pacifier and snuggled against his Daddy. Lance pulled the fuzzy red blanket up to cover his baby's body. He didn't care how long Keith was sick or little. He was a caregiver in every sense of the word and would take care of Keith, no matter what.

Fin


	49. Exhausted (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith is exhausted after his training session and falls asleep in his nest, missing dinner. Lance goes to check on him and promises to come back for cuddles after he eats.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Klance.
> 
> Tags: Klance, Tired Keith, Purring Keith, Lance is a good boyfriend

"Exhausted"

Keith staggered into his room, fresh from a shower. He had finished a long, strenuous training session and a well earned, hot shower. He sat down next to his nest and tugged his boots off. He set them aside, unclipped his utility belt, and stuck his sheathed Marmora knife under his favorite pillow. He set his utility belt on the dresser and hung his jacket on the hook on the wall. He set his boots in the closet and changed into the Red Paladin pajamas. He laid down in his nest and fell asleep almost immediately, softly purring.

%%%

The rest of the Paladins noticed the absence of their Red Paladin, when they showed up for dinner. Allura sat down at the table and asked, "Where is Keith?"

"That's a good question, Princess. We don't exactly know," Shiro admitted.

"I'll go look for him," Lance volunteered.

"Yeah. Go check on your boyfriend," Pidge teased.

Lance blushed but didn't deny it. He was dating Keith, but they didn't do much more than cuddling and holding hands, especially since their relationship is pretty new. He knew Keith was a private person, and Lance didn't want to make Keith uncomfortable by pushing his boundaries.

However, that didn't mean Lance didn't know where Keith liked to hang out. His boyfriend liked to be on the training deck, with the Red Lion in her hangar, in the lounge, and in his room. Though, if Lance was honest with himself, he didn't know which one of those places his boyfriend would be in. He decided to check the training deck and was glad it was empty. He checked the consol and wasn't surprised to notice that Keith had logged several vargas in there after lunch. Since he wasn't there now, it meant that he was probably in his room.

Lance hurried to Keith's room and knocked on the door. "Keith, baby, are you in there?" He listened for a response, but he didn't hear one. "I'm opening the door."

Lance opened the door and entered far enough to allow the door to close behind him. He saw Keith laying in his nest, sleeping and purring. Lance knelt down outside the nest, reached out, and stroked Keith's hair. He absolutely loved his boyfriend's hair, especially when he let him play with it. Lance couldn't wait until Keith allowed him to braid it or do some more elaborate things since it was longer than anyone else's on the team (not counting Allura).

A questioning noise alerted Lance to Keith waking up. "Lance?"

"Hey, baby. We noticed you were missing from dinner."

"Sorry. I'm just so tired from training this afternoon."

"Is there anyway you can eat something first?"

"I don't think so." Keith struggled to keep his eyes open.

Lance stroked his hair. "Go ahead and go back to sleep, baby. I will make sure you have some food set aside for you to eat later."

"Okay." Keith yawned and closed his eyes. "Thanks, Lance."

"You're welcome." Lance went to stand up but was stopped by Keith nuzzling his hand, purring. Lance kissed Keith's forehead. "I'm going to get food."

"Can you come back and cuddle with me?"

"Of course, I will." Lance left Keith's room and headed back to the dining area. He sat back down in his seat.

Shiro looked back at the door, obviously expecting Keith to walk through it. "Where's Keith?"

"He's too exhausted to stay awake long enough to eat. I told him I would set aside some food and return to keep him company after dinner," Lance reported.

"So, he's not eating?" Hunk asked.

"Not right now, but he will want food when he wakes up," he assured his best friend.

"Why is he exhausted?" Allura asked.

"He spent several vargas on the training deck before taking a shower and going to sleep in his nest." Lance had noticed his boyfriend's hair was still damp from his shower when he touched it. "I want to eat, so I can go back to him."

"Well, good thing food is done," Hunk said, sliding over two bowls to Lance. "Here's one for you and one for Keith when he wakes up."

Lance looked in the bowl and was surprised. "It's not food goo!"

"I found some new ingredients on the last planet we saved and had been experimenting with them. I think I came up with an interesting combination. Let me know what you think."

"I always do, buddy." Lance lifted his fork to his mouth and took a bite. His eyes widened in shock. "This is delicious! I can't place the taste, but this is so good!"

Hunk beamed. "Thanks, buddy."

Dinner passed pretty quickly with Lance's declaration of the deliciousness of Hunk's newest creation. Lance polished off his dish and swiftly carried Keith's portion to his room. He set it on the dresser near his utility belt and stepped into the nest. He settled next to Keith and gently pulled his sleeping boyfriend into his arms. He smiled as Keith repositioned himself to get back into a comfortable position, including having his head tucked under Lance's chin. However, Lance did move his head so he could lay his cheek on top of his boyfriend's fluffy hair. Keith was still purring, which was so soothing that it lulled Lance to sleep as well.

A few vargas later, Keith shifted slightly and noticed that he was being held. He cracked an eye and saw that Lance had returned and had indeed cuddled with him like he asked. He closed his eyes again in content and fell back asleep, his purr picking up again when he fell asleep.

Fin


	50. Even Evil Has Family (Sendak/Krolia, Mama Red)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sendak is in a bad mood, but Haxus knows how to lift his commander's mood. Not Sendak/Haxus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is an evil AU where Sendak and Krolia are mates and their son is Yorak, who is the future Red Paladin. This is also Mama Red Lion.
> 
> Tags: AU, Sendak/Krolia, Mama Red Lion, Yorak is Keith

"Even Evil Has Family"

Sendak was not in a good mood. It was obvious to anyone who came across him. The only good thing that happened was that he had located and successfully captured the Red Lion of Voltron, which then Emperor Zarkon let remain on his ship. There had been minor insurgents on a couple of planets in his sector, which he personally squashed, which didn't help his mood any.

His lieutenant, Haxus, had received a secret communique that was sure to lift his commander's mood. He had informed the pilot of Sendak's mood, to which the pilot purred to him in reassurance. Haxus smiled and gave the pilot that landing code for the private hangar. Now all Haxus had to do was figure out how to get the commander to go to his quarters without getting his head ripped off.

Fortunately, his time had come in the form of Sendak rubbing at his left shoulder. Haxus stood up from his post and whispered to his commander, "Maybe you should go relax in your quarters and take off your arm prosthetic."

Haxus didn't flinch when said prosthetic was brought to within an inch of his neck. He could even feel the heat from the quintessence that coursed through it. "You know I'm right, commander."

Sendak growled but removed his prosthetic from Haxus's neck. "Very well, Haxus. You are in command for now."

Sendak turned and left the bridge, completely missing Haxus's grin. It didn't take long for Sendak to get to his quarters. He entered the room and was startled by a little voice calling out, "Daddy!"

Sendak immediately caught the tiny kit that had tried to jump onto his father. He lifted him up and set him on his right shoulder. "Yorak, when did you get here?"

"Mama and I just got here!" Little Yorak nuzzled his Daddy's ear.

Sendak's eyes landed on the female Galra in front of him. She approached him and purred. "We wanted to surprise you, Sen."

"That you did, 'Lia." Sendak nuzzled his mate's head. "That you did."

Sendak carefully rolled the shoulder his kit wasn't sitting on, which caught Krolia's attention. "Let me help you with that."

Sendak kept a firm hand on Yorak while his mate unlatched his prosthetic. Once it was gone, he laid in the nest with his son on his chest. Little Yorak was the spitting image of his mother but with Sendak's ears and his shining gold eyes. Sendak licked his son's cheek stripes, a feature that he loved that his kit got from his mother. Yorak purred to his Daddy. Krolia stepped into the nest and settled against her mate.

"How long do you get to stay this time?" Sendak didn't like that his mate and kit were stationed elsewhere.

"Warlord Ranveig was owed some favors and called them in to get us reassigned."

"Reassigned where?"

Krolia grinned. "Here. You're looking at your new stellar cartographer."

Sendak's eyes widened. "Truly? You both get to stay here?"

Krolia nuzzled her mate's head. "Yes. We have been away too long. Yorak needs his father, especially if he is to take his place in the Empire one day."

Little Yorak tilted his head, one of his ears twitching. "I hear something."

"What is it, my kit?"

"Someone calling to me."

Both parents looked around the room in alarm but could see no one. "There's no one here, kit."

"Not here but on the ship. She says she wants to see me." Yorak gasped. "She's a red kitty."

"The Red Lion is talking to you?"

Yorak's other ear twitched. "Yeah."

"Let's go see what the lion wants with our kit," Krolia suggested.

Sendak frowned but relented. He was curious why the lion was talking to his kit too. He quickly attached his prosthetic and escorted his family to the hangar, where the Red Lion was standing with her particle barrier up. The tick Yorak was standing in front of the lion's barrier, said barrier disappeared and the lion's eyes lit up, looking like the little kit's eyes.

Yorak chirped and was surprised that the Red Lion lowered her mouth to him. He petted her muzzle. "Hello, kitty."

"Hello, little cub."

Yorak purred. He liked this kitty. Krolia stepped up behind her kit. "Red Lion, may I ask a question?"

"Who is this, cub?"

"This is my Mama. She's the bestest mama in the universe!"

Krolia blushed at her kit's comment.

"She can ask her question."

Yorak looked at his Mama. "Go ahead, Mama."

"I was wondering why you were talking to my kit."

"He is my future Paladin."

"She says I'm her future Paladin, but Mama, what's a Paladin?"

"The Paladins were the pilots of the lions of Voltron. We had heard that the lions choose their Paladins," Sendak answered for his mate. "To be chosen at such a young age is unheard of, but it is a great honor."

"The grumpy one speaks the truth."

Yorak giggled. "That's my Daddy. He's not always grumpy."

Krolia stifled a giggle at her mate's affronted expression. He scooped up his kit and mock growled. "I'll show you grumpy."

He proceeded to tickle his kit, who squealed with laughter and tried to wiggle away from the tickling claws. "Mama, save me!"

"Oh no, my kit. I'm no match for your father and his tickling claws."

The Red Lion chuckled and put up her particle barrier again, content to watch her future Paladin grow up with his family for now.

Fin


	51. Comfort (Space Mom Allura)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith has a nightmare and wants Allura to comfort him but also feel that he shouldn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is another chapter of Space Mom Allura, where the Paladins call her some form of 'mom' after a de-aging fiasco. This takes place after they get back to their original ages.
> 
> Tags: Space Mom Allura, Comfort, Nightmare

"Comfort"

Keith awoke with a jolt, tears leaping to his eyes. The nightmare was horrible and left him feeling vulnerable. He wanted his Mama to come comfort him, even though he knew Shiro needed her more than he did. Shiro had horrible nightmares from his time in the arena and needed comfort in the aftermath. Even though Keith knew this, he still wanted the same comfort. Tears started pouring down his face as he cried into his pillow, hoping to muffle the sound and not disturb anyone.

%%%

Lance was awakened by an unusual sound. Normally, he wouldn't have heard anything, but Pidge repoed her headphones, so the Blue Paladin heard everything. This unusual sound, Lance recognized it as someone crying, was coming from Keith's room. Lance got out of bed, put on his lion slippers, left his room, and walked next door to Keith's room. Lance tried to enter, but the door was locked. He knocked on the door. "Keith? Buddy, are you okay?"

Unfortunately, Keith was crying too hard to answer. "Lance? What's going on?"

Lance turned to see who had spoken and saw the rest of the Paladins coming up the hall. Shiro, who had spoken, was in the lead.

"I don't know why, but Keith is crying. His door is locked, and I can't get him to answer."

Shiro wrapped an arm around Lance's shoulders. He knew Lance was worried about Keith, but Shiro didn't know how to get to Keith without breaking down the door and scaring Keith more.

"Shiro? Lance? Hunk? Pidge? What are you all doing out here at this time of night?"

The four Paladins looked at who just arrived at the scene, and Lance felt like he could cry in relief. Surely, Allura could get Keith to open his door.

"Mamá! Keith is crying. His door is locked, and he won't answer us."

Allura walked up to the door, pausing to stroke Lance's hair soothingly. She knocked on the door. "Keith?"

There was a brief pause before they heard shuffling inside the room. There was a beep as the door unlocked before it was opened a crack. The tick Keith saw Allura was truly standing there, his resolve broke, and the door opened fully. He flung his arms around the princess and cried. _"Mama!"_

Allura was taken aback at Keith's actions but lowered him to the floor in any case. She pulled him onto her lap and stroked his hair, letting him cry it out. "You're okay, Keith. Mama's got you. You're safe."

He gripped her nightgown and stuttered out, "I-I'm s-sorry."

"There's no need to apologize, sweetie. I don't mind comforting you."

"I sh-shouldn't. Shiro needs it more than I do."

Shiro knelt down next to the pair. "Keith, no. Just because I have nightmares more often than any of you doesn't mean that you don't deserve comfort."

Keith slowly raised his eyes to meet Shiro's and saw that Shiro wasn't just saying that.

"Why don't we all head to the lounge and have a sleepover there?" Allura suggested, standing up and still holding Keith.

Lance perked up. "We should bring pillows and blankets!"

"To build a nest!" Shiro added.

"A n-nest?" Keith repeated.

"That's right, sweetie. Your siblings can build us a nest to rest in, and we can have cuddles all around." Allura carried Keith to the lounge, while the other Paladins hurried around with pillows and blankets. They built a nest, which was well built, in Keith's opinion. Allura settled into the nest with Keith on her lap, and her other children cuddled around her and Keith; Shiro and Lance were the closest, Lance was curled around Keith's side.

"Sorry, Lance. I didn't mean to not answer you," Keith whispered.

"It's okay, Keith. You didn't do it to be mean. Just get some rest."

"Lance is right. Everyone should get some rest." Light snoring drew their attention to Hunk who was laying on his back with Pidge sprawled out on his front. Allura giggled. "Looks like Hunk and Pidge already did that."

Keith closed his eyes and relaxed in his Mama's arms. He was glad that she was willing to comfort him after his nightmare, just like she did with Shiro.

Fin


	52. Little Mama

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A companion piece to "Time Traveling" where Keith spends some time with the kit version of his mom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is a companion piece to "Time Traveling."
> 
> Tags: Time Travel, Kit Krolia, Galra Keith, Keith in the Past, Pack Bonds, Companion Piece

"Little Mama"

Krolia panted and whimpered in her sleep. She was engulfed in a nightmare and alone in the nest or so she thought. She was surprised to feel someone scoop her up and nuzzle her. The lack of fur concerned her until she heard the purr. She realized it was the time traveler. He was there from the future and was considered pack. In fact, he was very soothing to the little kit. He gently licked her cheek stripes so like his own. Her eyes slid open slowly and landed on his face. She let out a questioning noise. He cooed to her. "It's all right, kit. I've got you."

She snuggled into his chest with a little sigh before she starting purring, just so glad that she wasn't alone. "Keith?"

"Yes, kit."

"Don't leave me."

"Not my intention, kit, but I will at some point. However, we will meet again, but for now, I'm here for you and the other four kits."

"Is there anything you can tell me about the future?"

Keith hesitated. What was he allowed to say? Kolivan's father hadn't forbidden him from saying anything, but Keith remembered a little from his temporal mechanics class at the Garrison. Would telling the kit version of his mom mess with the time stream? If he was vague about some things, surely that would be okay.

"Well, we have a large pack. There are you five kits as adults and myself and another slightly older kit."

"You don't act like a kit though."

"I didn't grow up around Galra, so I'm learning as I go." Keith smiled. "The one who is most successful at getting me to act like a kit is you actually."

"Are we close?"

"Not as close as I'd like, but that's probably more my fault than anything."

Krolia sat up and rubbed her cheek stripes against his. "I'm sure your Mama and Daddy love you just the way you are."

"My Dad died when I was younger, but my Mama loves me so much. She tells me that all the time."

"My Mama does that too, but where is she? I thought she's be back by now." Krolia's eyes started tearing up.

Keith reacted immediately. He hoisted Krolia a little higher, her nose ending up near the scent gland in his neck. She took a deep breath and noticed that his scent screamed blood relation. She chirped and pulled back. "Y-your scent."

"What about it?"

"It smells like family. We're related, aren't we?"

Keith hesitated but found he couldn't lie to her. "Yes. We are related."

"How?"

Keith threw caution to the wind. "You're my Mama."

Krolia was surprised but shouldn't have been because the cheek stripes were a family trait. Her Mama had them, she had them, and she apparently gave them to her kit. She purred to him. "I'm glad you told me. Thank you."

Keith wrapped his arms around her and purred back. "You're welcome...little Mama." Krolia snuggled into his lap and yawned. "Get some more rest, and your Mama will be back when you wake up."

"And you'll stay with me too?"

Keith petted her headfur. "I won't leave before you wake up." Satisfied, Krolia closed her eyes and fell asleep, purring softly. "Sweet dreams, little Mama."

Fin


	53. Young Altean (Over protective Coran, minor Adashi) *

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith learns he's part Altean and Coran goes protective over him because he's considered a child in Altean culture.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This has a very minor mention of Adashi and was suggested by HoneySketch.
> 
> Tags: Adashi, Altean Keith, Protective Coran, Supportive Hunk and Pidge, Good Big Brother Shiro, Request

"Young Altean"

Coran was dusting off some shelves in the lower levels of the castle when he stumbled upon a backup to the castle's computer. Intrigued as to what was kept on this backup, he turned it on. To his immense surprise, it was a backup for the library of Altea. There was even a self updating catalogue of living Alteans. With shaking hands, Coran opened the file and flipped to the end of the file. To his immense surprise again, there was a name he recognized. The lastest entry read 'Keith Kogane.'

%%%

Keith was walking to the training deck, intent on getting a good workout in before breakfast. He was not expecting to get waylaid by Coran. "Morning, Coran."

"Keith, I must speak with you. It's urgent."

Keith paused mid step. Coran sounded so serious, completely unlike his usual upbeat self. "I was just heading for the training deck, but I guess it can wait for a bit. What's up?"

"I have discovered a back up for the library of Altea."

"Oh, that's nice."

"It contains a self updating registry of all living Alteans."

Keith winced and bit his tongue to stop himself from voicing his first thought, which was "That must be a short book."

"I found out that Allura and I are not the only two Alteans alive. You have Altean blood as well, my boy."

"What? I'm Altean? That's impossible."

"The book doesn't lie."

"But I'm human."

"Somewhere in your family history is an Altean. It must be relatively recent for you to have enough of it for it to register but back far enough for you to not receive any distinctly Altean features. How old are you, Keith?"

Keith hummed. "I think I'm still eighteen at this point, but I could be nineteen if my birthday happened already."

"Nineteen? What kind of scale are you using?"

"Oh, um, we use the term 'years' on Earth, which I guess converts to deca-phoebes. So I'm nineteen deca-phoebes."

"Nineteen deca-phobebes? Why you're just a little thing!"

Keith took a step back. "No. I'm an adult on Earth."

"In Altean culture, you're a young child." Coran gripped Keith's arm and led him away from the training deck. "You are not training on an empty stomach, my boy, and not directly after eating either. In fact, I'm surprised you're up this early. You should still be sleeping."

"I always get up at this time, Coran."

"Tsk, tsk. We need to fix that."

"There's no need to fix it. I've always gotten up early."

"Little ones need more sleep than what you're getting. No wonder you're grumpy during the day."

"That's just my regular attitude, especially towards Lance. He loves to irritate me."

"Well, I won't stand for it any longer. You are an Altean child, and I won't let anyone hurt you."

Keith didn't say anything as Coran gently pushed on his shoulders, so that he would sit at the table in the dining area. "I'll cook you an ancient Altean dish that's sure to please your palate."

Keith slightly panicked. He didn't want to eat Coran's cooking. Fortunately, there was a clatter that came from the kitchen. It seemed like Keith wasn't the only Paladin up. Hunk was already in the kitchen. Keith breathed a sigh of relief at that knowledge. Hunk didn't let anyone else in the kitchen while he cooked. Keith hoped that it was something other than food goo.

Hunk left the kitchen with what looked like a big stack of oddly colored pancakes. Keith's eyes widened in delight. He liked pancakes, because it reminded him of simpler times with his Dad. "Those look amazing, Hunk."

Hunk looked up. "Oh, hey, Keith. Didn't expect to see you here this early."

"See, little one, even Hunk agrees that you need to sleep in."

"Little one? Is that a new nickname? Are we all getting one?"

"It is a new nickname, but just for Keith. I found out that Keith is part Altean."

Hunk set the plate down. "Oh, that's cool! Can he change his shape? How Altean is he?"

"We don't have any answers, Hunk."

"Yet," Coran stated. "However, before we do anything, he needs food and more rest."

"Those look delicious. May I have some now?"

"Of course. Have as many as you like. I have a lot more coming." Hunk left the dining area, heading back for the kitchen, presumably to continue cooking more pancakes.

Coran watched in satisfaction as the young Altean piled many of the strange mostly flat foods onto his plate and absolutely drench them in an equally strange substance of a questionable brown color. Even though he didn't know what this food was, the important thing was Keith was eating and enjoying the food.

There were several differences between a typical young Altean and Keith. Most importantly were the differences in their sleeping and eating habits. Young Alteans tended to adore sleeping in, much like Lance. In fact, he wouldn't have been as surprised if the Blue Paladin's name had appeared in the book as he was when he read Keith's name. Also, Keith had a bad habit of skipping meals in favor of training.

Coran needed to inform the princess of this new development. Fortunately, she had just walked into the dining area. "Good morning, Coran, Keith."

"Morning, Allura," Keith replied before taking another bite of breakfast.

"Good morning, Princess!"

Allura looked at Keith's plate curiously. "What is this?"

Keith swallowed and answered, "Hunk made pancakes for breakfast. It's an Earth delicacy."

Coran tugged on his jacket. "I was about to make an ancient Altean dish, but Hunk was already in the kitchen."

Allura giggled as she took her seat. "Coran, you know the Paladins prefer Hunk's cooking."

"I just thought I'd give Keith a taste of his heritage."

Allura looked from Coran to Keith and back again. "What?"

"I discovered a back up for the library of Altea, which contains a self updating registry of all living Alteans. Keith's name was listed in the registry."

Allura's hand flew to her mouth. "We have another Altean on the ship?"

"It would appear so."

It was then that the rest of the Paladins entered the dining area. Lance saw the huge pile of oddly colored pancakes on Keith's plate and frowned. "Geez, Mullet. Did you leave any for the rest of us?"

Before Keith could retort, Coran jumped to his defense. "Hunk said there was plenty, Number Three. Do not be mean to Keith."

Lance looked at Coran confused. "Why did you leap to Keith's defense? I've only seen you do that for Allura."

"I do that for any Altean."

"But Keith's human."

"Not fully. He has Altean blood in him."

"What?" Lance's eyes widened.

"Incredible," Shiro said.

"How Altean is he? Can he change his shape?" Pidge asked.

"I asked the same questions, Pidge." Hunk exited the kitchen carrying two large platters full of the pancakes. "They don't have any answers. I suspect that some time after breakfast, Coran and Allura would find out."

"Yes. After breakfast and some more rest, we'll find out how much Altean blood the little one has."

Allura looked at Coran. "Little one?" She turned towards Keith. "How old are you, Keith?"

Keith sighed. "It translates to nineteen deca-phoebes."

Her eyes widened. "You _are_ a young Altean!"

Keith ducked his head a little. "Apparently."

Shiro patted Keith on his shoulder. "It'll be okay, Keith. Just finish your breakfast."

Keith peered at Shiro through his fringe and gave him a small smile. "Okay."

Shiro helped himself to some pancakes, signaling the rest of the Paladins to start eating as well. After breakfast was over, Coran didn't give Keith any time to even try to escape to the training deck. He gently gripped the young Altean's arm and guided him back to his room. "You will get some more rest. I do not want to see you out of this room for at least another varga."

Keith wanted to retort that he didn't need a nap, but then he saw the look on Coran's face. It was so reminiscent of the look his father had given him when he was younger that Keith didn't argue. Coran noticed the fight leave Keith's posture and hugged him. "You're okay, little one. Just get some more rest. When you're done, meet me in the infirmary." Coran released Keith, who hesitated at his door. "What is it, my boy?"

Keith gave him a little smile. "Thanks."

Keith entered his room, leaving Coran more than a little confused. The advisor decided to seek out Shiro for answers. He wasn't surprised to find him on the bridge in his Paladin seat. "Shiro, I have a question. I hope you have the answer."

Shiro turned to face the older Altean. "Well, ask away. I hope to be able to answer it."

"I escorted young Keith to his room for some more rest and he thanked me after I told him to get some more rest. He looked liked he wanted to fight at first but then didn't. I don't understand why."

Shiro grinned. "That's Keith for you. He's an orphan and hasn't had anyone to make sure he takes care of himself."

"He doesn't have parents? The poor boy! Whatever happened to them?"

"He doesn't talk about his mom, but his Dad died in a fire. He was a fireman."

"Was either of them Altean?" Allura asked.

"I guess it's possible that his mom might have been, but unless it's really far back, I don't think his Dad was."

"It's still possible, since it's been 10,000 deca-phoebes since the destruction of Altea. He might only have a drop of Altean blood," Coran replied, sadly.

"Why doesn't he talk about his mother?" Allura inquired.

"She left him and his Dad when he was a baby."

"Alteans love their children. Most species that I have met do. Don't humans?"

"Most humans do, Allura. There are some anomalies. He hadn't had anyone care about him until he met me at the Garrison when he was thirteen."

"When did his father die?"

"Keith was six. He had to rely on himself for seven deca-phoebes."

%%%

Keith rubbed his eyes and blinked. He didn't realize that he was tired but had apparently fallen asleep. He left his room, wondering what time it was. It was one reason he didn't like sleeping in or taking a nap; he lost all track of time. He went to the infirmary but was surprised that no one was there. Keith looked around in confusion. Did he not sleep enough? Coran had said at least a varga, but maybe he had only slept for a few doboshes? He sat down on the edge of one of the examination beds, reading on his data pad.

%%%

Coran hadn't expected Keith to actually fall asleep due to him originally fighting it. So, Coran had gone to check on Keith in a varga and was pleased to see him sleeping. He had tugged his blanket over him and left him to rest. He didn't know how long Keith would sleep but figured he had at least another varga, so he decided to clean the dining area.

He let his mind wander as he cleaned. He almost couldn't believe there was a young Altean on the ship and had been there for nearly a deca-phoebe, and he and Allura had no idea. It had been awhile since he had helped raise a little one, so he was relying on his instincts. He finished cleaning and looked at the time and nearly panicked. It had been a varga and a half! He washed his hands and rushed to the infirmary. He skidded to a halt right outside the infirmary. He didn't want to startle Keith if the Red Paladin was sitting in there. He strolled in and smiled as he saw Keith sitting there, reading on his data pad. "Hello, little one. I hope I hadn't left you waiting long."

Keith looked up with a little smile on his face. "No. I haven't been sitting here long."

"Well, that's good. Now, I need a blood sample to determine what percentage of your blood is Altean." An almost imperceptible flash of fear passed through Keith's eyes. Coran paused. "Did you want to have Shiro in here for this?"

"Please."

"Wait here, and I'll go get him." Coran walked out and returned shortly with Shiro in tow.

Shiro immediately stepped over to Keith and drew him into his arms. "It'll be okay, Keith. I know you don't like needles, so don't look at it. Focus on me."

Keith took a deep breath and took off his jacket. "Okay."

Shiro noticed that Keith's breaths were coming in a bit faster. "Hey, Keith. Remember the time when I tried cooking dinner for Adam."

"Didn't you burn it so bad that you set off the fire alarms and the fire department had to be called?"

Shiro laughed. "Yeah. It was so bad that Adam officially banned me from the kitchen. I wasn't even allowed to make myself coffee."

"So that's why you always had a cup of the Garrison's coffee in your hands."

"And now, we wait for the results. It won't take more than a couple of doboshes," Coran announced.

Keith looked over in surprise. "It's over already?"

"Yes. It goes fast and painless when you don't focus on it." Coran loaded the blood sample into the machine.

"So, what outcome are you hoping for, Keith?" Shiro asked.

"Oh, um, I'm not sure. Maybe a high enough percentage to do the shape changing thing."

Coran chuckled. "Trust a little one to want the shape changing ability. Don't worry, Keith, unless you have a very minute amount, you will have that ability."

"Wouldn't that require a different restructuring of my bones though?"

"You would have already gone through a restructuring earlier in life in order to accommodate the ability," Coran stated as he looked over the results.

"Oh, I guess I won't have the ability."

"But, Keith, you already did. You had a very painful puberty. It's not normally painful, so I think your body was restructuring itself for the shaping changing ability," Shiro said.

"In fact, you do have the ability, my boy. You are twenty-five percent Altean."

"It's that high?" Keith asked.

"Yes, one of your grandparents had to be full Altean for you to be a quarter Altean."

"Which grandparent?" Keith asked before adding, "Not that it matters that much. I never met any of them."

"I think it would be one of your maternal grandparents. I would think if it was one of your paternal grandparents, then you would have been taken in by them once your father passed," Shiro reasoned.

"Yeah. So, when can I try shape changing?"

"Allura is actually the one who should instruct you on honing that ability."

%%%

"First, we'll focus on seeing what you'd look like as a full blooded Altean. Just close your eyes and concentrate on what changes need to be made," Allura coached. Keith closed his eyes. After several doboshes, she, Shiro, and Coran could see his skin darken, his ears became pointed, and red Altean markings appeared on his face. He opened his eyes, which were still violet. Allura smiled. "It worked. You look great!"

Keith looked at Coran, who had tears in his eyes. "You look amazing, little one."

"Are you okay, Coran?" Keith asked.

Coran reached up and brushed the tears off his cheeks. "Yes. It's just been so long since I've seen another Altean."

Keith smiled and hugged Coran. "If you'd like, I'd be willing to let my markings show."

"You'd do that for us?"

"Yes." Keith closed his eyes and let his skin lighten and his ears become rounded but allowed his red Altean marks to remain visible. He opened his eyes and smiled. "Just like that."

Fin


	54. Lay Down (DoM)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Krolia returns from a mission and is confused when no one greets her. When she goes to drop off her report, she is greeted by the sight of her kit napping in their leader's office.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, and Antok survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. Krolia is here as Keith's mom and pack member.
> 
> Tags: DoM, Krolia is a good mom, Keith loves his pack

"Lay Down"

Krolia landed her pod in the hangar and was only slightly surprised none of her pack was there to greet her. Knowing her pack, they were probably busy. Kolivan would be in his office doing paperwork, Ulaz would be in the med bay patching up some Blades who got injured on their missions, Thace usually manned the comms at this time of the quintant, and Antok normally handled the afternoon training session. However, she expected her kit to come greet her. Keith always loved to greet her when she returned from her missions.

She left the hangar and headed for Kolivan's office first. She had to drop off her report first before she could go lay down, hopefully with her kit. Being pack, she didn't have to knock on Kolivan's door, so she just pushed open the door. The unmistakable sound of a purring kit reached her ears. She saw her kit napping in the nest Kolivan kept in the corner, buried under several warm blankets. Just as she thought, Kolivan was seated at the desk, going over reports.

"Hello, Kolivan."

"Welcome back, Krolia."

"I see my kit is sleeping here, but why is he under so many blankets?"

"He said he was cold."

"It's not any colder than normal, so why is he so cold?"

"He doesn't have any fur, so the base feels colder to him."

Krolia sighed. "Well, at least he's warm enough to get some rest."

"Do you want to lay with him?"

"Yes."

"Then, go ahead and get in the nest. You know it's not just for Keith."

Before she did, Krolia nuzzled Kolivan, him returning the nuzzles and earning a purr from Krolia in response. Kolivan gave her a gentle yet firm push in the direction of the nest he kept in the corner of his office nearest his desk. Krolia took off the top of her Blade uniform, leaving her in the gray flight suit worn underneath, and climbed into the nest. She settled behind Keith, curling around him but keeping the blankets tucked firmly against her kit. She gently began grooming his hair, a soothing action for both mother and kit.

Keith, realizing his mother was there, reacted instinctually. He gave a sleepy chirp and rolled over to snuggle with her; however, the blankets were in the way of being in contact with her, so he whined a little. Krolia unwrapped the blankets, which allowed Keith to snuggle up against her, his head tucked under her chin. Krolia settled the blankets mostly over Keith but not over herself. She buried her face in the top of her kit's hair and relaxed.

Kolivan had gone back to going over his reports, only half paying attention to them as he was also watching Krolia and her kit interact. Keith was ruled by his instincts while he was sleeping; much more than when he was awake. It was endearing to watch a kit interact with his mother. Kolivan was not surprised when he heard two purrs coming from the nest. He figured that Krolia would get some rest after her mission. The fact that she was curled around her kit made the scene that much sweeter.

Fin


	55. Not Expendable (Canon Compliant DoM, Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kolivan is disturbed when he learns of Keith's kamikaze attempt from an unlikely source, who is protective of Keith.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is mostly canon compliant until the end when it becomes Klance. This is also Kolivan calling Keith his kit. This takes place after Season 4 Episode 6 "A New Defender."
> 
> Tags: Canon Compliant DoM, Klance, Keith needs a hug

"Not Expendable"

Kolivan walked into the lounge and was slightly surprised to see his newest Blade cuddling with the current Red Paladin. How did he get there so fast?

"Keith?"

Lance curled his arms around Keith. "Leave him be, please. He's shaken after that battle."

"He shouldn't be. It was a wonderful battle."

Lance pulled Keith closer to him. "It may have been a win, but Keith was close to death."

"It's a hazard of war."

"He almost sacrificed himself to take down the shield! He almost died!"

Kolivan's ears drooped. "He was willing to sacrifice himself?"

"Yes. I want him to come back to the team, even just for a little. He was always one of us. You Blades seem to not value who he is, only what he can do for you."

"How _dare_ you?! Keith is immensely valuable, not only as a Blade operative but as a kit! He is a member of my pack!"

"...Kolivan? Is it time to go?" Keith yawned. He then became aware of someone holding him. "Lance?"

"Hey, Keith. You feeling better?"

"I think so."

Lance let Keith sit up. "You know you're important to us for more than just for what you can do, right?"

Keith stood up and offered a smile to his replacement. "That's nice of you to say, Lance. I appreciate it, but I have to go back with the Blades. There are still many more missions I can do."

"Not alone, kit. I refuse to let you go on any more missions alone, kit."

"But, Kolivan. I can do solo missions!"

Kolivan swept Keith close and held him against his chest. "No, my kit. I almost lost you today, the same way I lost Thace and Ulaz. I don't want to lose you too."

Keith nuzzled Kolivan's chest, and the Blade leader was surprised to feel his uniform damp. He looked down at his kit and saw tears falling down his cheeks. "What's the matter, my kit?"

"I'm so sorry, Kolivan. I just thought it was a good idea, and it would've saved a lot of people."

Kolivan pulled Keith even closer and stroked his hair. "You are not expendable, Keith. Not anywhere close. You are one of the most important beings in the universe, especially to me."

Keith purred and wrapped his arms around his leader. He couldn't wrap his arms all the way around the Blade, but it still brought him closer. Kolivan rumbled to him in order to soothe his kit.

Lance realized that Kolivan truly cared about Keith as a person as he watched them interact. He stood up and approached the two Blades. "Hey, Kolivan. I'm sorry. I didn't know how-whoa!" Lance was not expecting Keith to latch onto him and pull him close. "Keith?"

"Lance, thank you for being there for me."

"No problem, buddy. You are very important to a lot of people, including me. I love you, Keith."

"I love you too, Lance. Can you to stay with me while I'm here?"

Lance smiled. "I would love to stay with you...cariño."

Keith smiled in return and closed his eyes. He liked being told he mattered. It wasn't something he was told often, especially in his youth.

Fin


	56. Unconscious (Antolivan)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kolivan was blissfully unconscious. After phoebes of torture from the deranged druid, the battered Blade leader welcomed the tranquility and peace of his consciousness. However, even unconscious, he was not alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is mostly canon compliant and takes place during Season 7 Episode 5 "The Ruins." This is a take on what might have gone on when Kolivan was unconscious. This is also Antolivan.
> 
> Tags: Antolivan, Tortured Kolivan, Canon Compliant

"Unconscious"

Kolivan was blissfully unconscious. After phoebes of torture from the deranged druid, the battered Blade leader welcomed the tranquility and peace of his consciousness. Of all the forms of torture, the druid loved bringing up Voltron's disappearance. Kolivan couldn't help but dwell on the disappearance of not only the Paladins but the two Blades he was closest to, Keith and Krolia. After the loss of Ulaz, Thace, and Antok, Kolivan swore that he wouldn't get close to anyone again. However, he couldn't help getting close to the kit, which led him to be close to _another_ operative, because where ever Keith was, Regris wasn't far behind. Regris's death was another blow, one he hadn't thought would hurt as much. When Kolivan learned of Keith and Krolia's disappearance, his will to live dwindled to almost nothing, leaving him almost floating in his mind.

Strangely enough, Kolivan realized he wasn't alone, even in his own mind. He tensed as a figure approached, figuring the druid had figured out how to torture him there as well. The figure wasn't Macidus, but a being who was dead.

"Antok?"

"Hello, 'Van." Antok approached Kolivan, removing his mask as he did. Kolivan tensed and closed his eyes, waiting for some kind of strike. He couldn't believe his dead mate was with him. It _had_ to be a trick. When a strike never came, Kolivan cracked an eye open to see Antok standing in front of him with his arms open, waiting. Kolivan broke at the scene. Antok _always_ waited for Kolivan to initiate the affection; no one knew that. That meant this _was_ Antok! Kolivan rushed into his mate's arms.  
"Antok!" Kolivan nuzzled Antok. "I've missed you so!"

"'Van, you've been so brave in the face of so much loss."

"I lost almost everyone, even Keith and Krolia have disappeared!"

Antok blinked. "Keith? Oh, the Red Paladin who took the trials. He's a full Blade?"

"Yes and no. I found out after your death that he's just a kit. However, he has been invaluable to our cause, even going as far to extricate Krolia, who is his mother."

"I figured Krolia was related to him somehow, since he unlocked her blade."

"But no one has seen them or even heard from them in three deca-phoebes. I fear they are lost as well."

"They are not dead, 'Van."

The absolute certainty in his mate's voice caused Kolivan to look up. "How do you know?"

"Because they've come to rescue you. You need to wake up, 'Van, but remember, I love you." Antok kissed Kolivan before fading from his consciousness as Kolivan's eyes fluttered open. The sight he saw before him was so welcoming that he could've cried. It wasn't _just_ Keith and Krolia but the Voltron Paladins as well.

"Keith. Krolia." Kolivan couldn't speak above more than a whisper at the moment, but his two favorite Blades were close enough to hear him.

"Shh, Kolivan. It's all right. Keith took care of the druid. He's gone. You need to rest," Krolia stated.

Kolivan looked at Keith and could see a marked difference in the kit. However, he could also see that Keith wanted to snuggle against him but was afraid of hurting him more. He slowly lifted his right arm. "Come here, kit."

Keith carefully tucked himself against Kolivan, sighing in relief. Kolivan was slightly surprised when the kit started purring. He didn't know he could do that. Slight pressure against his left side reminded him that the kit spent a great deal of time with his mother, which might have awoken a great deal of his Galran instincts. "I'm glad you're alive, Kolivan."

"So am I, kit. So am I."

Fin


	57. The Leaders' Kits (DoM, Antolivan)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don't mess with the Leaders' kits. Apparently, someone didn't get the memo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, and Antok survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. Krolia is here as Keith's mother and pack member. Krolia has also adopted Romelle, and Romelle has become very precious to the DoM. This is Antolivan. Takal is my original character.
> 
> Tags: DoM, Antolivan, Protective Keith, Protective Blades

"The Leaders' Kits"

Romelle was wandering around the base looking for Keith. She was slowly becoming used to being around a large number of Galra. The Blades were for the most part happy with the latest edition to their leader's pack. However, there were those who didn't like the fact that there was _another_ being who wasn't Galran. They already didn't care for Keith, because he didn't look Galran, but they should have realized that didn't mean he didn't have the protective instincts. Most of the Blades didn't bother Keith, because he was the beloved kit of the five highest ranking Blades, including Krolia, whom most of the Blades respected. There was one Blade, Takal, who was the most vocal against Romelle's presence.

On this day, Takal cornered Romelle as she searched for Keith. "Aw, is the poor little Altean lost? Maybe she should have stayed with her race? Oh, that's right. Most of them are _dead."_

Romelle knew the Blade was trying to get a rise out of her and wasn't about to give him that satisfaction. "I'm looking for Keith."

Takal sniffed in disdain. "I do not keep up with the half-breed."

"Very well then. Good-bye." Romelle turned to leave, but Takal grabbed her arm.

"I didn't say you could leave."

"Let me go!"

Suddenly, Takal had a transformed blade in his face. "Remove your hand from my sister, or my sword will do it for you!"

Takal realized it was the leader's kit, who was actually sporting a few more Galran features than normal. He could see fangs and yellow sclera with slitted pupils. Takal quickly albeit reluctantly removed his hand from Romelle's arm. He smacked Keith's blade away from his face. "Get that away from my face, _half-breed!"_

A snarl from behind Takal alerted him to the fact that a member of the kit's pack had arrived. He gulped and turned around, hoping to see either Thace or Ulaz. Unfortunately, it was not either of those Galra, but Krolia and Antok. Takal's eyes flicked from Antok's face mask to Krolia's burning eyes and knew he had made a huge mistake.

"Kits, come here." Krolia opened her arms, and Keith and Romelle ran to her. "I leave this to you, Antok."

Antok's tail stroked the kits' cheeks as they passed. "Of course. Shall I contact the pack or do you want to?"

"I will."

"Very well, 'Lia. See you in the nest."

Krolia led her kits away purposely keeping them from seeing what Antok did to the Blade. He unfortunately couldn't kill him, since every member was valuable, but he could hurt him severely and send him to the med bay, where Ulaz would patch him up in a very detached manner, especially since the doctor would be informed of this Blade's transgression.

After patching him up, Ulaz would leave the med bay and head to the nest to check on the kits. He found the rest of the pack in the nest. Keith and Krolia were cuddling Romelle. Keith's Galran features had receded once the danger had passed, and he once again looked completely human, except for his cheek stripes. Thace was seated above Keith and was grooming his hair, which caused the kit to purr. Kolivan was curled around Keith, rumbling to him, and Antok was curled around his mate with his tail wrapped around Keith's waist. Ulaz slipped into the nest and covered the two kits with a warm blanket before curling around Krolia and grooming her headfur, causing her to purr. Word of the interaction between the kits and Takal and the consequent punishment spread throughout the organization like wildfire, and a consensus was reached. Don't mess with the leader's kits. Ever.

Fin


	58. Chase (DoM)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith and Regris are left to entertain themselves while their pack is busy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Keith raised by the Blade of Marmora. Keith is seven years old. 
> 
> Tags: DoM, Keith raised by the BoM, Playing, Chasing

"Chase"

"Keep up, Keith!"

Keith suppressed the urge to growl at his pack brother and redoubled his efforts to catch up. He and Regris were by themselves for about a varga. Thace was on a mission, Antok and Kolivan were in a meeting, and Ulaz had some critically hurt Blades he was treating in the med bay. The two kits had to entertain themselves, which led Regris to engage Keith in a chase. It had initially started as a play fight in their nest room, and it had spilled out into the halls. It devolved even further into a chase with Regris in the lead.

He rounded the corner and accidentally ran into a group of Blades leaving the meeting room. Keith couldn't stop in time and crashed into his pack brother, sending both of them sprawling into the middle of the group. Fortunately, the Blades the kits crashed into were able to keep their footing.

"What is this?" asked the Blade Regris had crashed into. "Kits?"

"I didn't know there were kits on the main base," another one mentioned. He picked up Keith by the back of his clothes. "Though this one doesn't look Galran."

"Put me down please!" Keith whimpered. He didn't know this Blade.

Regris futilely tugged on the Blade's arm. "Put him down!"

"What is going on here?!" demanded a stern voice.

Everyone froze and looked up at the duo of Kolivan and Antok. Keith felt like he could cry in relief. "Dad! Father!"

"Put my kit down!" Antok exclaimed.

_"Your_ kit?"

"He is part of my pack," Kolivan explained. "Kindly put him down."

Keith was set on his feet, and he and Regris quickly scampered to the sides of their Dads. Keith climbed onto Antok's back and buried his face in his back. Antok's tail curled around the kit, pinning him to his back. Regris clung to Kolivan's legs. Kolivan reached down and petted Regris's headfur.

"Leader, we had no idea you had two kits."

"We have had Keith since he was a tiny kit and had adopted Regris when he lost his mother. Now, you are dismissed. We will convene again in a movement."

The rest of the unfamiliar Blades left, and the leaders carried their kits back to their nest room. They settled into the nest, the kits crawling into their laps. Antok wrapped his tail around their youngest kit and nuzzled him. Kolivan cuddled their other kit close, rumbling to him.

"Are you okay, kits?" Antok asked.

"Yes, Dad," Keith answered.

"I didn't mean to run into anyone," Regris replied.

"And I didn't mean to crash into Regris," Keith added.

"We know, kits. Why don't you keep the playing to either the nest room or one of the smaller training rooms?" Kolivan suggested.

"That sounds like a good idea, Father," Regris responded, snuggling into Kolivan's lap, yawning.

"Get some rest, you two," Antok stated, petting Keith's hair. Keith chirped and snuggled into Antok's lap. Soon enough, the nest was filled with the purrs of two sleeping kits.

Fin


	59. Sharing The Bed (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance gets ready for bed, trying to make sure he doesn't disturb his already sleeping boyfriend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Klance with a more Galran looking Keith.
> 
> Tags: Klance, Galra Keith, Lance has a bedtime routine

"Sharing The Bed"

Lance walked into the room he shared with his boyfriend and stopped short at the sight of the boyfriend, who was laying on the bed. He was on his side and had his Galran features visible. Keith could decide whenever if he looked more or less Galran. Right now, he had purple, fluffy ears; purple cheek stripes; and a long, thin, purple tail, which was stretched out across the bed. Lance smiled and didn't have to worry about the tail; it would wrap around his waist once he settled on the bed.

Lance quietly entered the bathroom and applied his face mask. He had already changed into his blue Paladin pajamas and had his lion slippers on, which muffled his footsteps and was something that he was grateful for since it ensured that his boyfriend remained asleep. He sat down on the edge of the bed and watched as the tip of Keith's tail tapped the bed as if it could sense Lance nearby and was irritated that it couldn't wrap around him. Lance found it endearing and amusing at the same time.

His timer quietly dinged on his data pad, and he stood up, walking into the bathroom to wash off his facemask. Keith didn't like snuggling with Lance when he had his facemask on overnight, so he compromised and washed off the facemask before joining Keith in the bed.

To Lance's surprise, Keith rolled over and snuggled into him, but his tail did wrap itself around his waist. Lance wrapped his arms around Keith and pulled him even closer, burying his face in his boyfriend's fluffy hair. Keith sighed in contentment, a purr starting up and lulling the Blue Paladin to sleep.

Fin


	60. Sparring (DoM, Regeith)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith tries to escape the nest to go train but usually doesn't make it to the training hall. When he does, he's not expecting Regris to be waiting for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, Antok, and Regris survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. This is also Regeith.
> 
> Tags: DoM, Regeith, Play fight

"Sparring"

Keith tried to sneak out of the nest many times to go train, and every time, he got caught. It wasn't always one of his 'Dads,' some times, it was his mate. When his Dads caught him, they picked him up and carried him out of the training hall, if he even made it that far. Usually, he barely made it out of the nest. However, that quintant, he actually made it into the training hall. In barely concealed glee, Keith started his warm ups. He had barely begun, when he heard a growl.

%%%

Regris had been waiting for his mate in the training hall. He knew Keith would think he had gotten away with sneaking out of the nest, but Regris had decided to wait for his little mate. He realized that Keith hadn't seen him and growled.

Keith reacted immediately. He froze, but his eyes landed on him and widened slightly. He let out a questioning noise and relaxed when he heard Regris purr to him. Regris walked over and pulled Keith into his arms. He nuzzled his head. "Why do you keep trying to train, my mate?"

"I always did at the castle, and I'm just trying to keep up with my regime." Keith couldn't help but purr at the affection from his mate.

"You train way too much. Come back with me to the nest."

"But I have too much energy, Reg! I need to do something."

Regris growled playfully. "Too much energy? You wanna spar?"

Keith's eyes sparkled. "Yes!"

Regris flexed his claws. "Then come get me."

Keith flung himself at his mate, jumping at the last tick, which effectively catapulted him over Regris's shoulders. Readjusting his body's position midair, Keith grabbed ahold of Regris's shoulders and tried to bring him down, using gravity to his advantage. It didn't work, but it did get Regris off balance. Keith landed behind his mate and aimed a kick at his knees, which would have connected if Regris's tail hadn't tripped him, forcing him to land on his back. Keith backward rolled away from the tail's reach and popped to his feet again, a big grin on his face.

Regris turned around to face his mate again, his tail twitching in excitement. He was enjoying this play fight disguised as a spar. He flexed his claws in Keith's direction again, growling playfully.

Keith ran at Regris again but was snagged by his tail and ended up on his back again. However, Keith was fast enough to escape the tail pinning him. Keith growled and managed to jump up onto Regris's shoulders. He hooked a leg around his mate's neck and dropped his entire weight down, effectively knocking Regris off balance. Keith swept Regris's legs out from underneath him. Keith jumped onto Regris and pinned his legs and arms, his tail already pinned behind his back.

Keith was breathing heavily, almost panting. "I win."

Regris purred to him. "You sure did, my mate. Good job."

Keith raised an eyebrow. "You didn't _let_ me win, did you?"

"Did I?" Regris struggled a little in Keith's grasp and managed to get his tail free. He broke out of Keith's grasp, flipped them over, and pinned his mate. "Maybe."

Keith nuzzled Regris's head with a purr. "Let me go."

"Hmm. I don't know. I caught you fairly." He stood up and threw Keith over his shoulder. "I think I'm going to take you back to the nest. I want cuddles after that fight."

Keith struggled a little as he laid over Regris's shoulder. Regris jostled his little mate and lightly whacked him with his tail. "Stop struggling."

Keith lightly whined at his mate. "Reg."

Regris used his tail to caress Keith's cheek stripes. "It's all right, Keith. You're not in trouble. I just want some cuddles."

Keith laid over Regris's shoulder and waited while his mate carried him back to the familial nest. Keith was not surprised that they were the only ones there. What he _was_ surprised about was the two boxes of food waiting for them on the table. Regris set Keith into the nest and grabbed their boxes. He sat next to Keith, and they enjoyed their food.

%%%

Thace watched their kits enjoy their food before they cuddled each other in the nest. He nodded before he left the hallway to head to the communications room. He had agreed to watch out for the kits to make sure they ate before they did anything else. Even though Keith and Regris were mates, they were also quite young in Galra culture. They were considered the kits of the four highest ranking Blades in the organization, but they were a powerful couple on their own, if they only knew what kind of power they held.

Fin


	61. Calm (Age Regression)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro knew his littles' signs for when they would regress, and Keith was displaying some of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is age regression with Little Keith, a mention of Little Lance, and Daddy Shiro.
> 
> Tags: Age regression, Little Keith, Daddy Shiro, Little Lance (mentioned), Kit Keith

"Calm"

Shiro was keeping an eye on both of his littles, Keith and Lance, as everyone was spending time in the lounge. Lance was gleeful as he was finally allowed to play with Allura's hair. He was trying a particularly difficult braid and had his tongue peeking out from between his lips. He didn't seem like he was going to regress any time that quintant.

Keith, however, was fidgety. It was obvious to anyone who actually knew Keith. He had his arms crossed over his chest like usual, but his fingers were clenching and unclenching his jacket. He was also worrying his lip between his teeth.

Shiro was sitting next to Keith, which made it easy to lean over and whisper, "You okay?"

The shake of his head was almost imperceptible as was the whisper of "no."

"You want to go back to your room?"

"Yeah."

Shiro hesitated before offering, "You want me to go with you?"

"Please."

Shiro and Keith both stood up, Shiro wrapping an arm around Keith's shoulders. He led Keith out of the lounge and didn't miss the way Keith leaned into him. The tick the door closed behind them, Keith whined softly.

"Keith?"

"Daddy."

That confirmed Shiro's suspicions. He withdrew his arm and held his arms out. "Do you want me to carry you, baby?"

Keith nodded and held his arms up. Shiro scooped up his little and let him nuzzle him. When Keith was in little space, he was more in touch with his Galran instincts and made little kit noises, according to the Blades.

He carried his little to his room and set him down. He petted his hair before pulling out his little bag. He pulled out a diaper, a sleeper, and his three favorite comfort items (a red blanket, a red and purple pacifier, and a stuffed Red Lion). He quickly switched out his clothes for a sleeper and a diaper. He slipped Keith back into his arms, offering the little his comfort items. He sucked on his pacifier and cuddled his blanket and lion as his Daddy settled them onto the bed. Keith snuggled against Shiro and purred. Shiro stroked Keith's hair, soothing the little a lot. His purring was kicked up a notch as he fell asleep, which told his caregiver that he was completely relaxed, which, in turn, relaxed Shiro.

Fin


	62. Appearance (Broganes)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith wakes up in an immense amount of pain. Through the pain, Keith calls the one person on the castle ship who never gave up on him, his brother. Maybe Shiro could help somehow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is broganes with Keith developing Galran features painfully.
> 
> Tags: Broganes, Galra Keith, Painful Transformation

"Appearance"

Keith groaned as he unwillingly opened his eyes only to shut them again as the light was too bright. It felt like he was being stabbed behind his eyes. He very slowly opened his eyes, and the lights were still too bright. He kept his eyes open the smallest crack so he wouldn't walk into a wall. He stood up, took a step, and promptly fell flat on his face. He landed with an "oomph."

He lifted his head, and his eyes were slowly getting used to the level of light, which turned out was very dim. He always kept the lights low when he went to sleep, so he wasn't disoriented when he woke up. He pushed himself up, but his fingers felt like they were burning and wouldn't hold him up, causing him to crash back to the floor. He whimpered and tried to pull out his data pad. He powered through the burning feeling in his fingers and contacted the first person on his contacts list, Shiro.

"T-Takashi."

"Keith, what's wrong?"

"I...don't know. It...hurts."

"I'm on my way, Ototo."

The data pad dimmed, and Keith stayed where he laid. He couldn't tell how long he laid there before Shiro opened his door. Keith whimpered again, catching Shiro's attention. "Ni-san, it hurts."

"What hurts?"

"Everything."

Shiro hummed. "How about I pick you up and carry you into the bathroom?"

"Okay."

Shiro carefully scooped him up and carried him into the bathroom. He turned the light on, and Keith curled into Shiro's chest with a whine. Shiro looked down at Keith in concern, which morphed into surprise as he noticed differences in his brother.

Keith's black hair was now dark purple with magenta ends, and he had big, fluffy ears and a long, thin, purple tail. Wanting to see if there were any other changes, he gently shook Keith. "Hey, Ototo. Look at me."

"The light hurts, Ni-san."

"But I can't help you if the light's off. Come on, Keith."

Keith reluctantly lifted his head and looked at Shiro. He noticed more features. Keith's eyes had yellow sclera, but they still had Keith's beautiful purple irises and black pupils. There were purple cheek stripes, and Keith's fingernails had lengthened and sharpened into claws. Shiro could feel his brother's claws and knew what happened, even without seeing them. He smiled at Keith, realizing what was happening. "Keith, do you know what is going on?"

"No."

"You are manifesting Galran features."

Keith whined. "What?"

"You look more Galran. You're in pain, because you are developing these features."

"What do I look like?"

"Can you look in the mirror?"

"I'll try." Keith turned to the mirror and saw the changes immediately. He saw his hair color, his ears, his eyes, his cheek stripes, and his tail. He lifted his hands to see them and saw he now had claws. He also saw his skin turning purple; no, not turning purple. He was growing fur. That would explain why his skin felt prickly. Keith turned his head and buried it back into his brother's chest, whining.

Shiro was slightly surprised at the feeling of wetness as his vest and shirt soaked up Keith's tears. He stroked his hair. "It'll be okay, Ototo. Do you want to stay here or come to the lounge?"

"I don't want to leave. I'm afraid of what the team would think."

"It'll be okay, Ototo. The team won't think any different about you, but you can stay here, if you want."

"I want to stay here until this is all over."

Shiro carried Keith back to his bed, which was filled with a bunch of blankets and pillows, arranged in a plush nest. He gently set him down in the nest and noticed the way Keith's tail curled around his leg. Shiro stroked Keith's hair before pulling a blanket up and over his brother. "Try to get some rest."

Keith curled up in his nest and bit back a whine. He didn't want to make Shiro stay any longer, especially when there wasn't anything he could do to help him. He breathed a sigh of relief, which ended in a whimper, when he heard Shiro exit his room. He didn't know how long this was going to last, but he wished he was unconscious. Perhaps if he was, he wouldn't feel all this pain.

Fin


	63. Prejudice (Blind Keith, Thulaz, Antolivan)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The four Blades that don't like Keith and Regris finally corner the kits in training hall B, but they are only after one of the kits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is the fourteenth story in the Blind Keith series. This is Thulaz and Antolivan. (For anyone keeping track, Keith is 10.) Soshan is my OC.
> 
> Tags: Blind Keith, Thulaz, Antolivan, Kit Regris, Kit Keith, Hurt Keith

"Prejudice"

Keith was excited. He was allowed to meet Regris in one of the training rooms and walk there completely by himself. His Papa was in the med bay, his Daddy was on a mission, Antok was overseeing training in a different training room, and Kolivan was in his office. Keith was deemed old enough at ten deca-phoebes old to walk to the training rooms by himself, especially since he knew the route by heart and could navigate it blind. Keith wanted to make sure he proved to his entire pack that he could do this.

His excitement was evident on his face when he entered the training room. He could smell that there were several other Blades in there, including Regris. He smiled even wider. Regris's smell was different than other Blades. He, like Keith, lacked the distinctive luxite smell that the full operatives had. Only after passing the trials would they gain the scent of their luxite swords. Keith noticed that he had a slight scent of luxite that clung to him. He guessed it was from carrying his mother's knife from age three when his pack adopted him. Regris's scent of snowdrops came closer, which was also accompanied by a shout of "Keith!"

A tick later, Keith felt Regris's arms go around his neck and his tail around his left leg. Keith's smile never left his face. "Hi, Regris!"

"Well, if it isn't the two most useless Blade wannabes."

Keith felt Regris stiffen and followed suit. He didn't recognize the scent or the voice of the speaker, but he gathered he wasn't nice since his best friend was tense.

"Leave us alone, Soshan," Regris pleaded.

"Run along, little kit. You are not the one we want."

Regris whimpered and slowly let go of Keith. He knew he wouldn't be able to defeat the Blades nor could both kits out run them, and they would be even angrier at having to chase their intended target.

Keith reached out and stroked Regris's headfur. He whispered, "It'll be okay, Regris. Antok is in one of the nearby training rooms. Go get him."

Regris reluctantly ran off out of the training room, hoping to find Antok before Keith got too hurt. Keith made sure he heard his friend leaving before turning his attention to the Blade...no _Blades_ in front of him. His nostrils flared, taking in the different scents. He could tell that there were four Blades that surrounded him. He had heard them move about the room and knew that he couldn't escape their clutches. He only hoped that Regris brought Antok quickly.

%%%

Regris skidded into training hall A, narrowly avoiding sliding into a pair of Blades.

"Whoa, kit. Easy. What's the rush?" one of them asked.

Regris let out a high pitched trill, attracting everyone's attention, including Antok's. The large, tailed Blade approached him. "Regris? What's wrong? Where's Keith?"

Regris's breaths were coming in pants. "Keith...training hall B...Soshan...trouble...hurry..."

Antok scooped up Regris and rumbled to him as he ran to training hall B. He opened the door and saw the four Blades beating and kicking his pack's downed kit. He roared in obvious displeasure.

The four Blades paused, one of their feet still on Keith's torso. Keith's whimpers and whines incensed Antok further, making him advance and growl. The four Blades backed away from Keith, letting Regris dart forward. He saw large bruises blossoming on Keith's skin, and there were even scratches that were bleeding. His headfur was messy, moreso than usual, and his breathing was labored. "Antok, Keith needs help!"

Antok tore his gaze away from the four Blades to look at the two kits on the floor. He gently scooped up his pack's kit and allowed Regris to cling to his back as he hurried to the med bay. Antok rumbled to his kit in order to soothe him as much as he could. They entered the med bay, and, before Antok could call out to Ulaz, Keith whimpered in pain, alerting Ulaz to their presence. The pale doctor rushed forward as Antok laid Keith on an examination bed. "What happened?"

"Soshan and his pack decided to pick on Keith. Regris was able to alert me quickly, but they still were able to hurt our kit."

Keith whimpered again as Ulaz gently removed his shirt. Ulaz rumbled to him. "It's okay, kit."

"P-Papa?"

"Yes, kit. I'm here. I'm going to treat your injuries and take you back to the nest."

"Can everyone be there? And Regris?"

"We're fortunate that Thace is going to be back any tick now. I will tell him and Kolivan and talk to Regris's pack to see if they will let him sleep over," Antok said, reaching back and petting the headfur of the kit still clinging to his back. "Regris, do you want to stay here or come with me?"

"I want to come with you. If I could cuddle with my pack a little before coming with you if I'm allowed, that would help."

"Of course, kit. Now, let's let Ulaz heal Keith and take you to your pack." Antok carried the kit out of the med bay and to his pack's nest room.

He knocked on the door, which opened to reveal Regris's mother. "Antok? What's the matter?"

"Mama!" Regris leapt from Antok's back and clung to his mother.

"Regris! What happened, kit? I thought you were going to be playing with Keith."

"The two kits were ambushed by another group of Blades. Regris wasn't injured, but Keith was. Your kit wants some cuddles, but Keith requested that he be in our nest once Ulaz finishes treating his injuries."

"Of course Regris can go cuddle with Keith when he's released. Will you be coming back by to collect him?"

"I can if you'd like."

"I would like that." She nuzzled her kit. "Come, kit. Let's get you calmed down, so you can go see your friend when it's time."

The door closed, and Antok went to his mate's office, where he pleasantly found Thace reporting to the leader. Both Galra looked up at Antok when he entered.

"Antok?" Kolivan inquired.

"We are needed in the nest room. Keith was attacked. He is being healed by Ulaz right now. He will be taken to the nest to relax. He's asked that all of us plus Regris be there."

Thace growled. "Who dared to harm my kit?! They will pay dearly!"

"Not now, Thace. Now, we need to calm Keith. Let's wait for him in the nest," Kolivan stated, placing a hand on Thace's shoulder.

Thace sighed. "You're right, Kolivan. Keith is most important."

The three Blades left Kolivan's office and headed for their nest room to wait for Keith. When they received a message from Ulaz saying that he was headed their way with Keith, Antok left the nest room and collected a mostly calm Regris from his mother and returned to the nest room right before Ulaz arrived with Keith.

Thace saw his kit still looking beaten up and reached out for him. "Kit."

Keith looked in Thace's direction. "Daddy!"

Thace gently plucked his kit out of his mate's arms and pulled him into the nest. Regris hovered nearby uncertainly. He wanted to cuddle with Keith but didn't want to hurt him any more than he was already. Ulaz entered the nest near Keith and pulled Regris between himself and the pack's kit. Regris nosed Keith's hair, reassuring himself of his friend's condition.

Keith heard the rumbles of the rest of his pack members and knew that his request had been fulfilled. A heavy hand petting his hair let him know that Antok was close by. "Kit, the Blades that attacked you need to be dealt with."

"I know, but can you not do it? It won't make things any better. They don't think I can do the things they can just because I'm blind. I want to prove them wrong. Please let me deal with them myself."

Thace exchanged a quick look with the rest of his pack. Like him, they knew they couldn't deny the kit the chance to one up his attackers. Who knows; he might even get them to respect him as well.

"Very well, kit. You can deal with this yourself; however, we don't want you to be alone with these Blades. Once you're all healed up and rested, I want to test your reflexes in the flight simulator."

Keith chirped in happiness and snuggled into his Daddy's chest. He couldn't wait to try his hand at flying.

Fin


	64. Moving In (Mama Krolia, Adashi)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro offers Keith the option of living in the apartment with him and Adam.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is a set of one shots for the Mama Krolia series depicting Keith's adventures on Earth and/or at the Garrison.
> 
> Tags: Garrison/Earth Hijinks, Adashi, Hover bikes, Moving

"Moving In"

"Are you really okay with this, Adam? I don't have to make the offer." Shiro asked. Keith was trying hard not to eavesdrop, but it was hard seeing as his hearing was exceptional.

"If you don't make the offer, Takashi, then I will," Adam retorted.

Shiro was all smiles when he approached Keith, who was reading ahead in his History of Earth Ships class. The entry that really caught his interest was the section about The Calypso. "Hey, Keith. What'cha reading?"

"I'm just reading ahead in my History of Earth Ships class."

Shiro leaned over and saw the entry Keith was on. "The Calypso, huh?"

"Yeah. It's really neat."

"It interested me and inspired me to join the Garrison." Shiro paused and stole a glance at Adam, who gave him a smile. "I have a question, Keith. Would you like to move out of the dorms and in with me and Adam?"

"What? Is that possible?"

"Yes, especially since I am assigned as your mentor."

"Mentor?"

"Yes. The higher ups noticed that you have a knack for the academics and flying, so they assigned me to foster that and help it grow, so I petitioned to have you live with me." Shiro winked. "It helps that Adam likes you too."

Keith grinned. "If it's not too much trouble, I'd love to."

Shiro's grin matched Keith's. "Then, you'll move in after classes today." He turned to leave but paused and called over his shoulder, "Sometimes Matt drops by."

Keith watched as Shiro walked away and met back up with Adam. He grinned even wider, nodding, and Adam wrapped an arm around Shiro's waist before they walked away.

Keith couldn't believe that he got to live with Shiro and Adam. It was an amazing opportunity as he found out that Shiro was a exceptional role model, especially to many of the cadets in Keith's class (like James Griffin and Lance McClain). He also knew that it would be harder to make sure he didn't accidentally expose himself. However, he still couldn't wait for his classes to end.

%%%

Keith hurriedly and excitedly packed up his room, taking care to hide his knife and container of concealer. He already had a security measure on his tablet to prevent anyone else from accessing his files. He grabbed his bags and met Shiro by the front gate. Once again, Shiro drove him to his apartment on his hover bike, further cementing Keith's desire to drive one himself.

Shiro led Keith into the apartment and to the spare room. "This is where you'll sleep. I'll leave you here to unpack. Come to the living room when you're done."

Shiro left the room, leaving Keith to do his unpacking. Keith carefully unpacked his stuff, hiding his concealer in his clothes and his knife under his mattress near the head of the bed. Once everything was done, he stashed his bags under the bed and left the room.

He only saw Shiro in the room and was wondering where Adam was. Shiro patted the seat on the couch next to him, waiting for Keith to sit before talking. "Adam has an extra class to teach, so he won't be here till later. I wanted to go over some rules, mostly of what we expect. Most of the rules are just like the Garrison. Keep your room clean, don't destroy property, y'know stuff like that. What _we_ expect is to trust us and do your work when you're done with classes. If you need help, just ask. Any questions?"

"Do you want me to do any work around the house?"

"I can show you how to wash your own clothes if you'd like but beyond that, no. Your main responsibility is to your schooling."

"Just don't let him try to teach you how to cook. I don't need two kitchen disasters."

Shiro and Keith looked up at the door and saw Adam entering the apartment. Keith grinned at the bantering between the two humans. He snuck a glance at Shiro before turning back to Adam. "Are you saying that Shiro can't cook?"

Adam nodded. "He can't cook toast."

"Well, that's okay. I can cook. I might be able to teach him a thing or two," Keith quipped.

"Hey!"

Adam wrapped an arm around Keith's shoulders. "Kid, I think we're going to get along great."

Fin


	65. Scared Paladins (DoM)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes being a Blade is battling the Empire from the shadows, and other times it's assuring kits that those shadows aren't out to get them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, and Antok survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. Krolia is here as Keith's mom and pack member. 
> 
> Tags: DoM, Scary Stories, Scared Paladins, The Blades know how to comfort kits

"Scared Paladins"

Kolivan was walking the corridors of the castle ship. He was making sure everyone was sleeping during the night cycle. His pack was in the nest already minus their kit. He had been spending time with the other Paladins before bed. If he had heard correctly, they were gathered in the lounge, so he headed in that direction.

However, he detected a strange smell and an unusual mix of sounds. He opened the door and saw the Paladins huddled under blankets. He noticed that Keith was whimpering as he cuddled Shiro, who was looking pale and had an arm wrapped around Keith. The other three Paladins weren't faring much better. They were shaking, and Kolivan was sure he heard a whimper coming from one of them.

"What happened here?"

Keith's head jerked up. "Kolivan!"

He scrambled to get up to cling to his eldest pack member, but Shiro had a death grip on his shoulders. Keith stopped struggling but whimpered again. Kolivan stepped closer to provide comfort to his kit. He petted Keith's hair and rumbled to him. "Now, what happened?"

"W-we were t-telling scary st-stories, and we-we got scared," Hunk stammered.

Kolivan blinked. "You were the ones telling the tales, correct?"

"Yeah. Some of them were so scary that we can't sleep."

Kolivan's gold eyes traveled over the terrified Paladins. "Why don't you all join us in the nest?"

"Is that allowed? I mean, we're not Galra or Blades," Shiro asked.

"It is allowed. You kits need some comfort in order to rest. My pack can provide that. Now, follow me."

He scooped up Keith and led the rest of the Paladins to their nest room. He opened the door and was pleased to see the rest of the pack was still awake. Keith perked up when he saw his mom in the nest. He chirped and wriggled until Kolivan set him down in the nest. Keith immediately made a beeline for his mom and tucked himself under her chin, sighing in relief.

Thace noticed the other four Paladins behind their leader. "What's going on?"

"The kits scared themselves telling scary tales."

Thace chuckled and beckoned the Paladins in. "Come in, kits."

"Why do you keep calling us 'kits?'" Lance asked.

"Because three of you are younger than Keith, and he's a very young kit in our culture. Shiro is not much older than Keith, so he would also be considered a kit," Ulaz explained.

Lance opened his mouth to make a comment that Shiro was actually the youngest due to his birthday, but a glare from the Black Paladin made him reconsider, and he closed his mouth. Instead, he climbed into the nest and settled next to Thace, who pulled him onto his lap and nuzzled him.

Hunk tentatively entered the nest and was pulled down beside Antok, who wrapped his tail around the Yellow Paladin's waist and rumbled to him.

Ulaz beckoned Shiro to him. "Come here, Shiro."

Shiro hesitated until Kolivan gently nudged him forward. He settled down near Ulaz, who pulled him closer and let him lay against him. "It's all right, kit. I've got you."

Seeing as Pidge was the last Paladin, Kolivan scooped up the Green Paladin and stepped into the nest, sitting down beside Antok. He kept her in his arms like he did with Keith when Krolia wasn't available. Speaking of Keith, he was snuggled against his mom, who was purring to her son in order to calm him down.

Kolivan surveyed the group. Keith was relaxed, laying in his mom's arms, and Shiro wasn't looking as pale anymore as Ulaz nuzzled him. Hunk was looking better with Antok's tail and arms wrapped around him. Lance wasn't shaking anymore, and Thace was grooming his hair. As for Pidge, she was almost asleep and holding onto his braid tightly. As Keith's purrs filled the nest, Kolivan knew the Paladins would get a good night's sleep.

Fin


	66. Too Much Energy (DoM, Mama Red Lion)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the training deck is closed for upgrades, Keith find himself with too much energy. Fortunately, Mama Red knows how to help her cub.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, and Antok survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. This is Mama Red Lion.
> 
> Tags: DoM, Mama Red, Kid Keith, Play Fighting

"Too Much Energy"

Keith was sitting in the lounge, fidgeting. He had a ton of pent up energy and no way to expel it. The training deck was closed for an update. Coran was taking the next two quintants to add training scenarios from the Blades of Marmora. As exciting as that sounded to Keith, it gave him no outlets for his energy. He knew he needed to get rid of his energy, or he wouldn't be able to sleep.

He heard a roar in his mind. "Red?"

"Come to me, cub."

Keith blushed at her calling him 'cub' but did as she requested. Maybe she'd let him go flying and do some death defying stunts where his adrenaline would spike, and then he would crash after the spike.

He entered Red's hangar and was pleased to see her eyes lit up. She knelt down and opened her mouth, allowing him entrance. He walked into her cockpit and sat down in the seat. "Hi, Red."

He felt her brush against their bond and knew she wanted him to follow her into it. He shrugged and closed his eyes, following their bond through the flash. He flung his arms in front of his face to fend off the bright flash that always assaulted his eyes. He lowered his arms but didn't open his eyes until a shadow fell over him and blocked out the majority of the light. He opened his eyes and saw the fluffy, real lioness form of his lion. "Hello, my cub."

"Hey, Red." Keith knew he appeared as a seven-year-old through the lion bond.

"I know you have an excess amount of energy and need a way to get rid of it."

"Yeah. What do you have in mind?"

Red crouched down and lightly swiped at Keith's legs. He jumped over her paw and was confused until he saw the grin on her face. She was play fighting with him, just like his pack. He returned her grin and playfully growled at her. He charged at her and tried to tackle her. However, that worked as well as it did against Antok, which wasn't well at all. He ended up on her back and paused, wondering what she was going to do. He didn't have long to wait, because she laid down, effectively getting him to slide off her back, and tickled him with her tail. He giggled and squealed, trying to get away from her tickling tail.

She did let him go when she noticed that he was gasping for breath. She nuzzled him while he got his breath back. After he got his breath back, she switched from nuzzling him to grooming his hair. He let out a yawn. "Red?"

"Tired, my cub?"

"Yeah actually."

"Then go ahead and get some rest. I'm here to protect you." Red curled around her tired Paladin, who yawned again before he started purring as his eyes drifted closed. Red was glad that she was able to help her Paladin unwind and get some rest.

Fin


	67. A Little Fashion Show (Age Regression)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Allura woke up that quintant, she wasn't expecting to take care of her littles, but she couldn't deny them when the youngest one sought her out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is age regression with Little Keith, Switch Lance, and Mama Allura.
> 
> Tags: Age Regression, Little Keith, Switch Lance, Mama Allura, Fashion Show, Nest, Allura's room

"A Little Fashion Show"

Keith woke up feeling little, really little. He really wanted his Mama. He just didn't know where she was. Maybe he could call her.

%%%

Allura was on the bridge when her data pad dinged. She withdrew it and answered it, surprised to see Keith. "Keith?"

"Mama?"

Her eyes widened a little. "Hey, sweetie. You need me?"

"Ye."

"I will be right there." She ended the call and left the bridge, hurrying to her little's room. He opened the door. "Keith?"

She saw him sitting on his bed with little tears in his eyes. "Oh, sweetheart, what's wrong?"

"Wet."

"It's okay, baby. Give me a tick."

Allura knocked on the wall, and Lance showed up. "Hi."

"Oh, Lance. I meant to get Shiro."

"He's on the other side, but can I help?"

"You're not feeling little?"

"Not really."

"Okay. Can you strip the bed and redress it?"

"Yeah. I can do that."

"I'm going to clean him up." Allura scooped up Keith.

Lance stroked Keith's hair, and Keith looked at him. "Lancey."

"Hey, buddy. Mama's gonna take care of you, and I'm gonna fix your bed."

Keith nodded and let Allura take him into the bathroom. Allura set him down and ran a warm bath. Once there was enough water, she turned off the taps and stripped her baby. She set him into the bath and rinsed him off. Once she had him rinsed off, she drained the tub and lifted him out. she dried him off and dressed him in a warm, red sleeper and diaper. She carried him back into his room and saw Lance petting Keith's stuffed Red Lion. "Lance?"

He gave a shy smile and held out the lion. "Hi, Mama."

She smiled back. She had had a feeling he might regress, but at least his headspace was about four deca-phoebes old. She turned so Keith could see Lance. "Look, Keith. Lance is offering you your Red Lion. Isn't that nice?"

"Red?" Keith looked at the other little who was holding out the toy. He gently took the lion and cuddled with her. "Thanks."

"Are you sleepy, Keith?" Allura asked.

"No. Cuddles?"

"Of course, cuddles are offered."

"Me too, Mama?" Lance asked.

"Of course." Allura scooped up Lance and let him cuddle her. She snagged Keith's little bag and asked, "Do you two want to go to the lounge or Mama's room?"

Lance gasped. "We can play in your room, Mama? I've never been to your room!"

"That's one vote for my room. What about you, Keith? Lounge or my room?"

"Mama."

"My room?" The youngest little nodded, and Allura carried both to her room, setting them on her bed. Keith stayed where she put him, feeling the different textures of the blankets and pillows. He started moving them around, unconsciously building a nest. Lance bounced on the bed a couple of times (before Keith started building his nest) before he slid off. He started exploring his Mama's room. Allura noticed Keith's attempts at building a nest and brought over a few more pillows. "Here you go, sweetie. Do you want to use these for your nest?"

Keith looked up at his Mama, slightly worried that she would be mad at him for moving her pillows and blankets around. When he saw her smile and offer of more pillows, he smiled and gently took the pillows one at a time, adding them to the nest.

"Mama, look!"

Allura looked up from her youngest little and had to stifle a giggle. Lance had found her closet and had somehow managed to put on one of her dresses. "You look good, sweetheart. Are you putting on a fashion show?"

"Fashion show?"

"It's where you put on different clothes and show me how you look in them."

Lance's blue eyes lit up. "Yeah! Fashion show!"

"Let me take pictures of you in each outfit, starting with this one." Allura pulled out her data pad. "All right, Lance. Ready?"

Lance smiled real big, and Allura took the picture, the flash attracting Keith's attention. He looked up to see his 'brother' reentering the walk in closet. He cocked his head. "Lancey?"

Allura reached out and stroked his hair. "It's all right, Keith. Lance is just putting on a fashion show for us. Do you want to watch?"

Keith nodded and held his arms out. Allura scooped him up and settled him on her lap for an afternoon of cuddles while Lance put on a fashion show for them with pictures on Allura's tablet to prove that Lance looked good in a dress.

Fin


	68. Expectant (DoM, Thulaz, Sheith)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith was so tired that he just stayed in the nest, snuggled against his mate, but when he was asleep for more than twelve hours, Thace, Ulaz, and Shiro bring him to the med bay. What they discover is surprising and not entirely unexpected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, and Antok survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. This is a sequel to Volume 3 Chapter 186 "Date Night." It's DoM, Thulaz, and Sheith with a more Galran looking Keith. This ended up Mpreg.
> 
> Tags: DoM, Thulaz, Sheith, Mpreg, Pregnant Keith, Galra Keith, Sequel

"Expectant"

Keith opened his eyes groggily. Where was he? It smelled like the nest on the base, but Shiro was also there. Those two things didn't usually go together. Then, the previous night came rushing back. His pack had set up a kit date for him and Shiro to enjoy. He blushed, his ears pinning back against his head. He and Shiro had loved playing with each other and had apparently fallen asleep, but he didn't remember climbing into the nest to sleep or curling his tail around Shiro's waist, but he was prone to doing the latter in his sleep. He could feel where Shiro's hands were; one was curled around his head and resting between his ears and the other one was one the small of his back, right above his tail. Keith knew that if they were at the castle ship, in the privacy of their own room, then Shiro would have that hand lower.

Just then, he felt another hand, this one clawed, stroking his hair. He purred to whichever Dad it was. "It's okay, kit. You and your mate are taking an easy day today. You two wore yourselves out last night on your date."

Keith smiled. It was Thace. Keith continued purring and buried his face into Shiro's chest, falling back asleep.

Thace breathed a sigh of relief when Keith didn't argue. Sometimes it was a fight to get the kit to follow orders. He was glad this was not one of those times.

Ulaz was draped across his back. It was true that Keith and Shiro had worn themselves out on their date, but it also provided Thace and Ulaz to take the day off themselves and not have to traipse all over the base in order to watch the kits.

It was three deca-phoebes ago that Thace and Ulaz had been separated while they were undercover at central command. Ulaz had freed Shiro, thus compromising his position, and had to go into hiding at the Communications Base Thaldycon. They had been separated for several phoebes and were thankfully reunited soon after Voltron dealt a massive blow to the Empire. Keith had been very instrumental in saving Ulaz and Thace, insisting that there had to be another way and not letting them sacrifice themselves like they were prepared to do. They were grateful for the kit's stubbornness for it brought them back to each other. On the anniversary of their separation, Kolivan and Antok allowed Thace and Ulaz to take the quintant off and spend it with each other.

However, usually, their kit (and his mate) were not present on this date. Kolivan had offered to watch them or send them back to the castle ship, but Thace wouldn't hear of it. It might send the wrong message of their kit not being welcome except at certain times, and Thace wasn't going to let their kit think like that. He was fairly certain that he and his mate could get Keith and Shiro to stay in the nest for most of the quintant. So far, it was working. Normally, Keith would be awake early, if for no other reason than to eat breakfast. Perhaps he liked to sleep in because his mate was sleeping next to him. Whatever the reason, Thace was glad that Keith had fallen back asleep.

%%%

Shiro tightened his arms around the body pressed against him. He knew it was Keith. The ears his left hand laid between and the tail wrapped around his waist was a dead giveaway. He murmured, "Kitty."

"'Kashi," was uttered just as softly and sleepily. "Go back to sleep."

"But-"

"No whining." Keith squeezed his tail around Shiro's waist. "I'm still tired."

Shiro cracked an eye open. "Are you feeling okay, Keith?"

"Just tired, 'Kashi."

"If you're sure." Shiro drew Keith closer. He moved his hands so both rested higher on his back. He rested his head against Keith's hair, making sure he didn't pin his fluffy ears. He didn't close his eyes though, and they landed on the pair of Galra resting behind Keith.

Ulaz could see the concern in Shiro's eyes. Keith being tired more than usual was worrisome. Even though it was his day off, he was going to scan Keith to make sure he was okay. Their kit was more important than their day off as he was the reason they got to be together. Ulaz nodded, which reassured Shiro that his mate was going to be okay.

%%%

It was after lunch, so seeing Keith still sleeping worried Thace, Ulaz, and Shiro. Shiro scooped up his mate and carried him to the med bay. He sat down on one of the examination beds and held Keith in his arms. Ulaz approached with a handheld scanner and scanned his kit, making sure it only picked up Keith, so the results wouldn't be irrelevant.

It was a painful two doboshes waiting for the results, and during this time, Shiro cuddled Keith closer. The machine beeped as the results were displayed on the screen. The beeping disturbed Keith, who awoke with a whine. His purple eyes landed on two of his Dads, one of whom had his back to them. "What's going on?"

"You have been sleeping for more than twelve vargas, kit, and we were worried, so Shiro brought you down to the med bay, so Ulaz could scan you," Thace answered. "We just got the results."

Ulaz turned around and approached the pair of sitting mates. He stroked Keith's cheek stripes, even the discolored one on his right cheek. "Apparently, kit, you are expecting a kit of your own. Your body needs the extra rest to get used to the kit growing within you."

Keith's eyes grew wide. "I'm pregnant? I didn't know I could get pregnant."

"It's all right, kit. Male Galra can carry kits, if they are mated to another male," Thace explained.

"I'm so sorry, Keith. I didn't mean for this to happen. We never even discussed a family before," Shiro apologized.

Keith purred to his mate. "It's okay, Shiro. I know we never discussed it, but I've always wanted a family."

"I know this news is new, but you need to have some food, Kitty."

Keith snuggled against Shiro. "That sounds good, but so does lounging in the nest."

Thace chuckled. "You two go lay down, and Ulaz and I will bring you some food."

Shiro carried Keith back to the nest room, and they both laid down in the nest to wait for their food to be delivered. They actually didn't have to wait long. Ulaz and Thace returned, each carrying two containers. Thace handed Keith and Shiro his stack, stating, "The top one is Keith's."

The pair of mated Galra watched as their expectant kit and his mate starting eating their food before they dug into theirs. The fact that their kit was expecting was startling, but Thace and Ulaz were excited to think of them having a grandkit in their lives. It was a new chapter in their kit's life, and they were going to help him during this time.

Fin


	69. A Pack Always Stays Together (Klance, Broganes, Team As Family)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A sequel to Volume 3 Chapter 53 "Perturbed," where Allura gets a lecture from each of the Alpha Paladins for upsetting the Omega of their group.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Klance with Alpha Lance and pregnant Omega Keith with some Galran features and also broganes.
> 
> Tags: Klance, Broganes, Team as Family, ABO Dynamics, Pregnant Keith, Galra Keith, Omega Keith, Alpha Lance, Alpha Shiro, Beta Pidge, Beta Hunk, Racist Allura, Sequel
> 
> Warning! Allura mentions miscarriage. If this is a trigger, please skip Allura's answer marked with asterisks (*).

"A Pack Always Stays Together"

Lance was surprised but happy that his Omega's tail had unwrapped itself from Lance's waist sometime during the night. It meant that he was calmer and less stressed than he was the previous night. It also provided Lance the chance to slip away. Allura had upset his Omega last night for the last time, and it was time he had words with her. He grabbed a nearby blanket and covered Keith with it, so his absence wouldn't wake him up. He didn't leave immediately after covering him up though. He waited a couple of doboshes before he got up.

He quietly left the lounge in search of the princess. He found her on the bridge. He kept the smile off his face. He had always considered her something like a sister to him, and her presence had helped him with his homesickness, but he wouldn't allow her to continue upsetting his mate. "Allura?"

She turned around. "Good morning, Lance."

"That remains to be seen," he muttered, knowing she would hear him. "We need to have a talk."

She was aback by his abrasive attitude towards her. He had always been the warmest Paladin towards her, so she didn't understand this shift in temperament. "About what?"

"About your treatment of Keith."

Her face darkened slightly. "What about it?"

"You upset him last night, which is unwise given who he is. He is the only Omega in our pack, which means he is precious to us, especially to me. He is my mate, and I will do anything to protect him. I demand you tell me _exactly_ what you said to him last night."

Allura sniffed. *"I told him that I hoped he wouldn't be able to carry the baby to term."*

Lance saw red at the implication, If Keith lost the baby, it would send the Omega into a depression, seeing as Keith was very attached to his unborn baby. Lance growled. "How _dare_ you wish that upon us! Losing this baby is the worst thing that could happen to Keith aside from losing one of his pack members! Why would you say such a thing? His pregnancy is not inconveniencing us in the slightest! We still have enough pilots to form Voltron without him, so what is your problem?"

"He's Galra, and now even looks like it!"

Lance stared at her incredulously. _"That's_ your issue?! The fact that he has a few visible Galran features?" Lance's face darkened. "I don't believe you. You told Keith that you were okay with him being Galran, but that was because he didn't _look_ the part? Now that he has a few Galran features, you are going to be hostile to him." He growled again. "You are _not_ to go anywhere _near_ my mate again. If I hear about you saying anything else cruel to him, you will not like the consequences."

Without waiting for a reply, Lance stalked off of the bridge. He let his anger leave him before he entered the lounge. He didn't want his Omega to smell the anger and think something was wrong. He smiled as he saw that Keith hadn't moved since he had been gone. He slipped under the blanket and gently nuzzled Keith's neck before pressing a kiss to the back of his neck. He tucked his head in the crook of his neck and inhaled his Omega's pleasing scent of cinnamon and chocolate, the scent calming him even further.

Shiro was already awake when Lance came back. He knew the other Alpha had had words with Allura. They had agreed last night that they were going to talk with Allura about her treatment of Keith. It wasn't a surprise that the Alphas of the pack were ready and willing to defend the only Omega, but what was the surprise was the Betas were ready to do the same.

Shiro scooted out of his spot and tugged Pidge into his spot, in order to keep Keith warm. She snuggled into Keith's side, enjoying his warmth, causing Shiro to smile. Seeing him surrounded by the rest of the pack and hearing him purring soothed his instincts (both Alpha and big brother), making it easier to leave the room. He was going to give Allura a piece of his mind...unless Lance got her to realize her mistake.

Shiro walked out of the lounge and to the bridge, where he figured Allura would be. He entered the bridge and saw her standing on her platform like she always was. "Allura."

She turned around and saw Shiro walking towards his Paladin seat. However, he didn't sit down. He faced her, and she saw he had an emotionless mask on. It set her on edge. What did he want? "Shiro?"

"Why? Why do you hate Keith?"

Allura resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Of _course_ it was about Keith. She should have figured after the 'talk' with Lance, but she _did_ think the only lecture she was going to get was from Lance. "Because he's Galra and looks like it."

Shiro forcefully breathed out through his nose. "You're being racist again, Princess. I thought you had learned your lesson. We work with the Blades all the time."

"They didn't pretend to be anything other than Galra."

"Neither did Keith."

"He passed as human even though he wasn't."

"He didn't know!"

"I doubt that."

"You didn't know Keith then, you don't know him now, and you _won't_ know him in the future. You need to stay away from Keith. If you don't, we will take him away from here, and good luck finding new Paladins, because the entire pack is behind me."

Shiro exited the bridge with his head held high and went back to the lounge. He saw that his pack was waking up. Keith was still in his spot as was Lance but the two Betas were crowded around in front of Keith with their hands on his belly. Keith looked up when Shiro entered and chirped. Shiro smiled and sat back down in his spot next to Keith.

"Takashi, feel." Keith took a hold of Shiro's left hand and placed it on his belly.

Shiro smiled wider. "Your baby's moving."

"They're happy that their Daddy, Uncles, and Aunt are close by."

"Of course we are. We are your pack, and as your pack, we have your back."

Keith let out a questioning noise at his brother's phrasing. "Takashi?"

"What Shiro's trying to say is that he and I talked to Allura and ordered her to stay away from you," Lance told him.

"If she doesn't, then we will leave. You are important. If she hurts you, she hurts all of us."

"Shiro and Lance are right," Pidge agreed. "We can stay with either the rebels or even the Blades, whichever group you'd feel even better with."

Keith gasped suddenly, and everyone's eyes widened. The baby had kicked. Lance grinned. "I think our baby agrees with us."

Fin


	70. Boyfriend Jacket (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance searches for his jacket and finds it in an unusual place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Klance.
> 
> Tags: Klance, Jackets, Purring Keith, Sentient Robot Lions

"Boyfriend Jacket"

Lance was busy tearing apart his room. He was looking for his jacket and could have sworn he had left it in his room, but it wasn't there! He conceded that it wasn't in his room anymore and started putting his things away, thinking about where to continue the search for his jacket. He _knew_ his didn't leave it in his boyfriend's room as they routinely cuddled in Lance's room instead of Keith's. Keith said it was because Lance's room looked lived in whereas Keith's was extremely sparse. Lance walked in one time and thought he had walked into a vacant room at first. The only things that told him it was Keith's room was the red and white crop jacket hanging on the hook on the wall and his Marmora uniform in the closet.

Lance finished putting his room back in order and left to go check the lounge, since it was the second most likely place he'd leave his jacket. It wasn't a long trek to the lounge, so Lance was alert enough to hear purring before he entered the room. He grinned. The purring meant Keith was asleep. He must have finished his session in the training deck and post workout shower and had tired himself out. Lance slipped his data pad out of his pocket and entered the lounge, intent on taking pictures of his sleeping boyfriend. He wasn't prepared to see his boyfriend sleeping under his jacket. His jacket was draped over Keith like a blanket, but Lance could see one hand clutching his jacket so it couldn't be slipped away.

Lance stood dumbfounded, almost forgetting he was going to take pictures of Keith sleeping. He almost dropped his data pad before he remembered and had to scramble to keep it from hitting the floor. Once the data pad was safely in his hands again, he started taking pictures of Keith from different angles.

Once he was done, he put his data pad away. He was left with his original problem. He wanted his jacket, but his boyfriend was using it as a blanket and apparently had a death grip on it. How was he supposed to get it back?

%%%

Keith yawned and opened his eyes. He hadn't intended on falling asleep, but Lance's jacket was comfy and smelled nice. He really should return it. He stood up, draped the jacket over his arm, and left the lounge in search of his boyfriend. He wasn't sure where Lance would be. He was fairly certain he wouldn't be in his room or on the training deck. Maybe he was in the kitchen?

Keith made his way to the kitchen, but he found it strangely empty. Well, at least, Hunk wasn't spending _all_ his time in there, but where was _Lance?_

Keith decided to check with the lions. Perhaps Lance was bonding with either Blue or Red. Keith checked Blue's hangar and was surprised to not only see Red and Blue in the same hangar but Lance was also wearing his jacket. He was sitting between the two lions, who were laying down, and talking to them.

Keith walked up to Lance, who noticed his approach. "Hey, Mullet. Welcome back to the world of the living!"

Keith rolled his eyes at Lance's joke. "So, why are you wearing _my_ jacket?"

"Because you had mine." Lance's comment made Keith blush slightly. Had Lance seen him sleeping under it? Lance grinned and took out his data pad, pulling up and showing Keith the recent pictures. "And you looked _adorable."_

Keith blushed even harder and buried his face in Lance's jacket. "Delete those!"

"Nope. I'm keeping those and any other ones I take. I love having pictures of you."

"Can I have my jacket back?"

"Naw. I think I'm going to wear it for now."

Keith blinked. "You like my jacket?"

"Yeah. It's more comfy than it looks."

"If you're keeping my jacket for now, then I'm wearing yours." Keith put on Lance's jacket, even going as far as putting up the hood.

Lance chuckled. "Come here, babe. Let's spend time with our lions."

Keith smiled and sat down with Lance between Red and Blue, both Paladins unaware that they were being watched by more than just the Red and Blue Lions.

Black Lion (with Shiro in the cockpit) was sitting in the shadows of Blue's hangar, watching over the two Paladins. "They are adorable together."

"They are. I wonder when they are going to switch back the jackets," Shiro mused.

Black chuckled. "Knowing how stubborn they are, it's hard to say."

Fin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note 2: They didn't switch back until the next morning.


	71. Revelation (Svakira, Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allura learns Akira is Altean. She doesn't take it well, but Keith puts her in her place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is the Guns of Gamara AU. The Paladins are still in the Alternate Universe, and this is Svakira with a brief mention of Klance and a brief mention of The Blades as Keith's pack.

"Revelation"

"Aki, you need to relax," Sven said.

"I know, but I need to finish these-"

"Oh no you don't, Aki. Come here." Sven pulled his boyfriend away from his reports and over to the couch in the office. Sven undid his ponytail and removed the concealer on his cheeks with his sleeve. Even though Akira disliked them, Sven thought his Altean marks added to his handsome visage. He let Akira settle on the couch and lean against him. Sven stroked his cheeks, paying attention to his marks. Akira sighed as he relaxed against his boyfriend, his ears twitching in pleasure. They were so wrapped up in each other, even the door opening didn't disturb them.

A feminine gasp did draw their attention along with the exclamation, "You're Altean!"

Akira and Sven looked up to see the Blue Paladin, Allura, and the Black Paladin, Keith, standing in their door. Allura looked gobsmacked, but at least, Keith looked apologetic. "Sorry, we didn't mean to disturb you."

"Wait a tick. You're Altean, but in this universe, the Alteans are evil. How could you be the leader of the resistance movement? He could be a spy."

"Allura, stop." Keith growled. "I thought you learned your lesson last time. I will _not_ let you do this again. Remember I'm half-Galran and a part of the Blades of Marmora. Remember them? They are Galran and my pack but against the Empire. The Galran Empire is evil, but not all Galra are part of the Empire. In this reality, the Altean Empire is evil, but not all Alteans are evil. I didn't like it when you shunned me when we learned of my heritage, and I will _not_ stand for you doing it to Akira."

Akira looked at Keith. "You're half-Galra?"

Keith turned and looked at his counterpart. "Yeah."

"You don't look-"

"Yeah. I don't know why. Ulaz, he's the doctor and part of the Blades, thinks it's because of my age. He thinks I might develop features later on."

"What do you mean your age?"

Keith rubbed the back of his neck. "I'd rather not get into that now."

"Well, thank you for standing up for me."

"You're welcome." Keith stepped closer and whispered, "She needs to learn not to condemn or praise an entire race based on the actions of a few individuals."

Akira's ears twitched as he caught what Keith said even though he whispered it softly. "Agreed."

"We'll leave you two to relax."

"Why did you come in here though?"

"Isamu said that you were probably too busy and weren't taking a break. I volunteered to try to convince you to take a break, but obviously, he needn't have worried," Keith replied.

"Oh no. He was right to worry. Aki wasn't taking a break. I just managed to convince him before you got here."

Keith smiled. "I think I'm going to see what Lance is up to."

"Bye, Keith, and thanks again." Akira leaned against Sven and closed his eyes, so he didn't see Keith practically drag Allura out of the office. She was still processing what Keith said in his little rant. She couldn't believe she had started to slip into her old thinking patterns. She resolved to avoid the blanket statements that seem to get her into trouble and act like the diplomat that she was.

Fin


	72. Feels Right (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Prince Lance presented as an Alpha, his parents sent out invitations for available Omegas. Lance sees one that interests him and wants to get to know this Marmoran Prince.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Galtean Klance with Alpha Altean Prince Lance and Omega Galran Prince Keith.
> 
> Tags: Klance, Altean Lance, Galran Keith, Royalty, Alpha Lance, Omega Keith

"Feels Right"

Prince Lance was bored. He had been stuffed into this very restrictive outfit and forced to stand at near attention while the guests filed in. This ball was supposed to help him find a potential mate. He had recently presented as an Alpha, so his mother and father had put out an invitation to all eligible Omegas, both male and female, from allied planets. So far, none of the Omegas caught and held his attention.

"I need a break. I'm going to go get some fresh air." Lance walked out onto a nearby balcony and breathed a sigh of relief. He ran a finger under his collar, trying to loosen it if he could.

A soft whine drew his attention to the other side of the balcony where a Galra hybrid stood, his tail swishing against the floor. He had pale skin and not purple or blue either. His hair was black and looked very soft. He had purple fluffy ears poking out of his hair and purple cheek stripes. His fangs were visible since his mouth was slightly open. He seemed to be having the same problem Lance was. Another whine caused Lance to draw closer. "Hi?"

The Galra hybrid looked up, and Lance was surprised to see a dark colored circlet on his brow. "Hi."

"Do you need some help with your collar?"

"It's just so tight. I tried telling my advisor that it was too tight, but he didn't listen."

"I think I can help. I'm Prince Lance by the way." Lance was easily able to loosen the collar a little bit, allowing him to breathe a little easier.

"Allow me to return the favor. I'm Prince Keith of Marmora." Keith deftly loosened Lance's collar.

"I don't think I've seen you before."

"I just presented as an Omega," Keith admitted.

Lance brushed a hand across Keith's forehead and down his face in a caress. "I figured as much. I'm an Alpha, and I would like to get to know you better."

Keith smiled shyly. "I'd like that."

Lance offered his arm to Keith, who wrapped his arms around Lance's. Lance escorted Keith back into the ball room. The two princes paused at the dais, where Lance's parents were seated and where a small delegation of Galra were kneeling. There were two that had the same fur color, one having a tail and one having red markings on his head and white headfur that was plaited. Another one had violet fur and one that had pale lavender colored fur. The one with the braid looked up. "There you are, Prince Keith. You-oh. It seems you met Prince Lance already."

Lance turned to look at his parents. "Mom, Dad, this is Prince Keith. I'd like to spend some time with him to get to know him better, but I think he and I will get along greatly."

"Are you sure, Lance? He's the one you want?"

"He's the one I want to get to know," Lance corrected. "He's special, and I don't want to rush things."

"If you're sure, my son."

Lance led Keith back out onto the balcony for some privacy. The instant they were out of sight, Keith unwrapped his arms and tucked himself under Lance's chin with a soft purr. "Keith?"

"Sorry, but this feels right."

"You don't have to apologize." Lance wrapped his arms around Keith. "This feels right to me too."

Fin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the lateness of this chapter. I had had a horrible day yesterday, but I am okay, and today is shaping up to be much better.


	73. Disregarded - Purposefully or Accidentally

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith comes to the castle ship to visit but the Paladins are doing a show of arms. Fortunately, Krolia is there for her kit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, and Antok survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. Krolia is here as Keith's mom and pack member.
> 
> Tags: DoM, Mama Krolia, Hurting Keith (emotional)

"Disregarded - Purposefully or Accidentally"

Keith stumbled into his room, tired from his training session. He saw Krolia waiting for him and chirped. She rumbled to him and drew him close to her chest. He purred to her, glad that she was there for him. He had been excited to visit the Paladins, but he didn't realize that Voltron was doing a show of arms when he got to the castle. He was a little sad that the team wasn't there when he arrived, but at least his mother had come with him. He was happy about that, and his Galran kit instincts were pleased that she was there for him.

Krolia nuzzled her kit. She wasn't happy with the Paladins. Keith had made plans to spend time with them, and they neglected to tell him that they had a show of arms at the same time. When Keith mentioned to his pack that he was going to see the Paladins, Krolia offered to come with him. He accepted it, which pleased the both of their instincts.

She scooped him up and carried him to their nest. When she had seen his room at the castle, she was dismayed. It was extremely sparse and empty. She took it upon herself to fix that while he decided to train a little. She found extra blankets and pillows and built a nest for them to rest in. She didn't want to do much since she didn't want to stay there for long. If the Paladins weren't going to make time to spend time with her kit, then they weren't to be away from their pack for long.

She settled in the nest and starting grooming Keith's hair. Keith started purring at the affection. "Mama."

"It's all right, kit. I know you're sleepy. Just get some rest."

"But the Paladins are," Keith yawned. "Are on their way back."

Just then, Keith's data pad dinged. He withdrew it and read the message. He stopped purring and whined. Krolia stopped grooming him. "What's wrong, my kit?"

"The Paladins aren't coming back tonight. The planet's inhabitants are throwing them a party and they're going to be back tomorrow morning."

Krolia squeezed her kit. She was worried that this would happen. "Do you just want to go home, kit?"

"But the Paladins know I'm here."

"They apparently place a higher value on this show than spending time with you."

"But-but-" Keith whimpered.

"I know you were close, kit, but they are hurting you, even if they don't mean to."

"Can we stay the night? We can leave in the morning. I'm tired."

"Of course, kit." Krolia smiled and went back to grooming her kit's hair. Krolia promised herself that the next time she saw the Paladins she would tell them what she thought of their actions towards her kit.

Fin


	74. Meeting The Paladins (DoM, Team As Family)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith and his pack are going to visit the Paladins and invite Eldir to join them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, and Antok survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. Eldir is my OC and Kolivan's father, and Keith considers him his grandfather. 
> 
> Tags: DoM, Team as Family, Eldir, Excited Keith, Sequel

"Meeting The Paladins"

Keith was packing a small bag to take with him to the castle ship. He and his pack were going to visit the Paladins for a few quintants, and he was quite excited to see his friends, chirping every so often as he packed.

Keith's pack were watching their kit, amused by his antics. The chirping was a sign of his good mood, and they hoped it would last. A knock on the door caused Keith to stop mid chirp. He let out a questioning noise to which Thace responded with a rumble as he answered the door. "Eldir?"

Keith's head shot up as Kolivan's father walked in. Keith darted over and hugged the elder Blade, who petted his hair. "Hello, kit." He noticed his bag. "Are you going somewhere?"

"We're going to visit the Paladins for a few quintants. Do you want to come?"

Eldir chuckled. "If you wish me to accompany you, I have no reason to decline."

"Of course you are welcome to join us, Father," Kolivan responded.

"I'm done packing. Let's go!" Keith stated.

The pack followed their excited kit to the pod they were taking to the castle ship. The trip to the castle ship didn't take long, especially since Allura opened a wormhole, allowing the Blades to appear near the castle. The pod landed in the hangar, and Keith had to be physically restrained before he leapt out of the pod before it was safe to. Once the pod door opened, Antok released his kit, and Keith rushed out of the pod and over to the assembled group. He was dragged into a group hug and purred to the group as a whole.

"I missed you, guys."

"We missed you, Keith. I'm glad you and your pack were willing to come aboard for a few quintants," Allura stated.

"We all are, Mullet, but who's the new Blade?" Lance asked as he noticed Eldir.

"He's not new, Lance. He's actually an elder member of the Blades."

Eldir came up behind Keith. "Hello. It is a pleasure to meet the legendary Paladins of Voltron."

"Hello. I'm Shiro, and this is Lance, Pidge, Hunk, Allura, and Coran."

"I am Eldir, former leader of the Blades, Kolivan's father, and Keith's grandfather."

"Keith's grandfather?" Shiro repeated.

"Not biological, but he asked if he could consider me as such. It's an honor for a kit to consider someone family that isn't related to them by blood."

Shiro grinned. "Keith has a habit of collecting non blood related family, and he doesn't even realize it. The entire team is his family, just like you guys."

The pack came up behind Keith and joined the group hug, Keith being in the middle of the whole thing. It was getting a little hard to breathe though. "Uh, guys. I need to breathe."

"Breathing's overrated," Lance joked as everyone backed up a little, and Keith gasped for breath.

"Thanks." Once he got his breath, he continued, "We can either go train or continue the cuddles."

The pack exchanged a look over the Paladin's heads and made a decision. Kolivan turned to his father. "Father, did you know that three of the Paladins are younger than my kit?"

Eldir's eyes widened. "What? They're kits?"

Thace nodded. "And Shiro is only a little older than Keith."

"I cannot allow a bunch of kits to train. We need a nest," Eldir declared.

Keith grinned. "The Paladins keep one in the lounge."

"Then we are heading there. Lead the way, kit," Eldir said. Keith nodded and started leading the group out of the hangar.

"Hold on. We're not kits," Shiro stated.

"Yes, you are. Now, either follow your brother or we'll carry you," Eldir replied.

Shiro looked at the rest of the pack. "Would you?"

"If you don't follow Keith, yes," Ulaz answered.

Shiro's eyes widened but turned to follow Keith to the lounge. Lance chuckled. Antok smacked him in the back of the head with his tail. "Don't laugh, kit. Now, go."

Lance scurried after Shiro with Hunk and Pidge on his heels. Allura and Coran chuckled at the Paladins' antics and walked out of the hangar. The Blades all walked to the lounge, saw the Paladins sitting in the nest, and grinned. The kits listened and were cuddling. Keith saw his pack and beckoned them into the nest. They climbed in and crowded around the group of kits. Kolivan curled around Keith, and Eldir curled around Kolivan. Antok was laying behind Hunk and Pidge, Thace was close to Lance, and Ulaz was close to Shiro. The Blades purred to the Paladin they were near, effectively lulling them to sleep, Keith purring in response.

"Told you they were kits," Thace told Eldir.

"It's not just them who fell asleep." Eldir nuzzled Kolivan, who was also purring in his sleep, curled around his purring kit.

Fin


	75. A Deep Level of Trust (non-series Mama Krolia)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith and Krolia are sent on missions together to get them to bond as mother and kit, but the latest mission was too much for Keith. He needs to decompress before he goes on another mission. Fortunately, Krolia knows how to calm her kit down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is a Season 6 AU, where Keith and Krolia do not go into the Quantum Abyss and are sent on missions together in order to get them to bond.
> 
> Tags: Mama Krolia, Mother and Kit bonding, Keith needs a hug

"A Deep Level of Trust"

Krolia tugged Keith along as they ran back to the pod, staying in the shadows as much as they could. They had been sent on a mission together, since they were still getting used to each other. They reached the pod, and Keith sat in the pilot's seat, flying the pod away from the Galra ship and towards home.

Krolia was worried about her kit. His arms were shaking, and he hadn't deactivated his mask. Was he injured? She approached him and took a covert sniff. She could just detect the scent of tears. Her kit was crying and not asking for comfort. Krolia reached forward and put the ship on autopilot. She turned the pilot's seat and deactivated her kit's mask. He let it disappear but lowered his head so she couldn't see his face. She rumbled to him and gently lifted his head. The tears sliding down his face disturbed her more than she thought. She couldn't not comfort him. She held her arms open, allowing him the choice.

The tick his mask disappeared, Keith knew Krolia knew that he was crying. They had had many close calls during their mission, and it was too much for Keith. He needed to decompress but had a feeling that he wouldn't get the chance. When she opened her arms to him, he couldn't resist the urge to get the comfort she was offering. He stood up and rushed over to her, crashing into her. She managed to stay on her feet and continued rumbling to her kit.

She stroked his hair as he cried into her chest. Krolia maneuvered herself and her kit to the aft section of the pod. She sat down, pulled Keith onto her lap, and started grooming his hair. She switched from rumbling to purring, hoping to soothe her kit. It worked a little too well as she noticed that Keith had fallen asleep. She looked around for somewhere to lay him down so he could get some rest while she piloted the pod, but when he started purring in his sleep, she realized that putting him down was no longer an option. It took a deep level of trust for a kit to purr in his sleep, and she couldn't believe that Keith trusted her that much in such a short amount of time. It was something she never thought her kit would bestow upon her again.

Fin


	76. Mating Bite (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith loves Lance so much; he wants to show him how much and make sure everyone they encounter know he is taken.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Klance with a more Galran looking Keith. He has a tail, fluffy ears, fangs, and purple fur.
> 
> Tags: Klance, Galra Keith, Claiming

"Mating Bite"

Lance grinned as he felt his boyfriend wind his body around his. Keith wrapped his tail around Lance and used it to bring him even closer. He also wrapped his arms around his neck and started licking his face. "Lance."

"Wha-What is it, kitten?"

"I love you, so much," Keith said between licks. "I want to mark you as mine."

"Please do, kitten. You know, I'm yours."

Keith nuzzled Lance's neck and licked it briefly before biting down hard. Lance bit back a scream as Keith's fangs pierced his skin. Keith withdrew and licked the wound, giving his mate affection after the pain he caused. Lance shivered as Keith's rough tongue slid over the mating bite. "Mine."

"All yours, kitten." Lance leaned against his fuzzy, purple mate. "Now, the whole universe will know."

Keith purred, his fluffy ears twitching. "Now maybe you'll stop getting flirted with."

"I'd be more worried that my hot mate would find someone as perfect as he is."

"I did. You." Keith licked the mating bite again. "I love you, Lance."

"I love you, too, Keith." Lance turned around, wrapped his arms around Keith's neck, and started peppering his face, ears, and hair with kisses. He had discovered by accident that Keith's ears were ticklish. All he had to do was give them the barest of touches, and the half-Galra would giggle. It was the cutest thing Lance had seen in awhile, and he took every opportunity to make him giggle.

When he started nibbling on Keith's neck, Lance wasn't surprised at the growl he heard. It wasn't angry or playful. It was more like a warning. If Lance didn't stop soon, then Keith was more than likely going to carry him to their bedroom and let Lance have his way in private, which sounded like a good idea to Lance.

Fin


	77. Shells and Pearls (Shance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance was waiting for Shiro to visit him but was slightly worried about him being late.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is mer Shance.
> 
> Tags: Shance, Mer Shiro, Mer Lance, Gift

"Shells and Pearls"

Lance swam in circles, bending over his tail so that the transparent, flowy fins brushed his brown hair. He was slightly bored waiting for his boyfriend to show up. Shiro was a wonderful merman, though his ego had taken a beating when he lost most of his right arm in a freak accident with a fisherman's boat. To compensate, Shiro usually wore a satchel across his chest, so he could still hold things that he needed.

"Lance!"

Lance stopped swimming in circles and looked up at who called out his name. He grinned and started swimming in that direction. "Shiro!"

The two mermen met in the middle and wrapped their arms around each other. Lance laid his head on Shiro's chest. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too. Sorry I made you wait."

"It's all right. You're okay, though, right? You usually aren't late."

"I'm all right. I lost track of time, looking for something."

"Did you find whatever you were looking for?"

"Oh yes." Shiro unwrapped his arm and pulled out a string of shells and pearls. He held it out in front of Lance, letting the other merman look at it. It was gorgeous with a repeating pattern of two shells followed by a pearl.

"It's pretty."

"I'm glad you think so. I want you to have it."

Lance's eyes widened. "I-I couldn't," he stammered nervously. "It looks really valuable."

"I made it for you."

Lance stared incredulously. He wanted to ask _how_ he made it, but that sounded rude, so he settled on asking "Why?"

"Because I wanted my boyfriend to have a present."

Lance blushed and allowed Shiro to slip it over his head. The shells and pearls complimented Lance's skin and hair color. "Thank you."

Fin


	78. Late Night Cuddles (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance admires his boyfriend, who fell asleep on top of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This Klance and very short.
> 
> Tags: Klance, Galra Keith, Purring Keith, Lance loves Keith very much, These boys need rest

"Late Night Cuddles"

Lance awoke briefly but was unsure of what woke him. Just then, he remembered that Keith had fallen asleep on top of him. His slightly shorter boyfriend was adorable, not that he'd say that to his face. He preferred to not be threatened by his Marmora blade.

At that moment, Keith was wearing a long sleeved, red sweater paired with a pair of black shorts and his signature black, fingerless gloves. He was draped across Lance's chest with his arms on each side of Lance, and his legs splayed out across Lance's.

Lance brought his hands up as much as he could, since they were pinned by Keith's, and rested them on Keith's back. A slight blush appeared on Lance's face as he heard Keith purring. He adored his boyfriend so much. Maybe he'd be able to get him to relax tomorrow. It was a long shot but worth it in the end. However, that could wait until they were both awake in the morning. Lance closed his eyes and fell back asleep.

Fin


	79. Just A Kit (DoM)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ilun finds himself on a mission with Keith, whom he just learned was actually a kit. He finds himself wanting to get to know the kit, if the kit himself would let him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, and Antok survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. They are only mentioned though.
> 
> Tags: DoM (mentioned), BoM Keith, Missions

"Just A Kit"

Ilun kept looking over his shoulder at...well, at the kit. He hadn't wanted to believe this little alien looking thing was a Galran kit, but Keith's pack said he was, _and_ he had been making kit noises since they got back to the pod.

A particularly distressed whimper made Ilun put the pod on auto pilot and stand next to the kit. "Keith, are you all right?"

Keith whimpered. "Yeah."

"That whimper says otherwise."

Keith flinched. "Sorry. I'll stop."

Ilun knelt down in front of the kit. "Kit, no. That's not what I meant. If you whimpered, then that means something isn't right, and your pack is going to have my head if I don't try to help."

"But you don't like me. Why would you want to help me?"

Ilun took off his mask and pushed down his hood. "I didn't mean to make you think that I didn't like you. I don't know how to handle kits. My siblings were all murdered by the Empire, which is one of the main reasons I joined the Blade."

"That's a good reason. I kind of know how you feel. My Dad died when I was younger."

Ilun's eyes widened. "Your father perished when you were a tiny kit?"

"Yeah. I still miss him."

Ilun saw Keith's eyes mist over and sat down next to him. "Would you permit me to hug you, kit? You look like you could use some comfort."

Keith looked up at Ilun and nodded. He leaned against Ilun, who wrapped his arms around him and rumbled to him. Keith closed his eyes and relaxed. It felt so nice that he started purring, which surprised Ilun but not enough to make him stop rumbling. He also started stroking the kit's hair. Maybe the kit's pack would allow him to get to know him better. He was such an unusual kit, and Ilun liked unusual.

Fin


	80. Warm-Ups (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance doesn't like to wake up early, but if he has an incentive, he doesn't mind as much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Klance.
> 
> Tags: Klance, Warm-Ups, Kissing

"Warm-Ups"

"Aww, Keith, why do I have to be here this early in the morning?" Lance groused.

"Hey, don't complain. You agreed to help me with my workout this morning." Keith practically dragged Lance through the castle corridors in the direction of the training deck. "If you don't walk, Lance, I will carry you, and don't think I won't."

Lance pouted but did as his boyfriend said. It didn't take the two Paladins long to reach the training deck. Lance was only partially surprised to see Keith not start up the training sequence. He set his jacket, bayard, and utility belt (sheath included) off to the side and started going through his warm-ups. He ran a couple of laps, did several sets of push ups (included one handed ones), and stretching exercises, which gave Lance a good view of his boyfriend's body. Lance was so preoccupied that he didn't realize that Keith had asked him something.

"Sorry. What was that, baby?"

Keith sighed and laid down. "Come hold my ankles so I can do some sit ups."

Lance's eyes lit up slightly. He liked being able to put his hands on his boyfriend. Keith wasn't used to a lot of physical affection, so anytime Lance got to put his hands on him, he was going to enjoy it. Lance immediately came over, knelt down at his feet, and held his ankles down with his hands.

Keith put his hands behind his head and interlocked his fingers. He did a sit up, only to meet Lance's lips when he reached a sitting position. Their eyes closed automatically as their lips met. Keith moved his hands until they were wrapped around Lance and pushed back with a little bit more force. Lance lost his balance and toppled backwards, his hands leaving Keith's ankles. Keith kept leaning forward and landed on top of Lance. He ran his hands under the front of Lance's shirt, making Lance gasp into his mouth. Lance pulled back slightly. "Keith, we shouldn't do this here."

"Do you want me to stop, Sharpshooter?"

"I didn't say that."

"Then, I won't." Keith leaned closer and reclaimed Lance's mouth.

Fin


	81. Take A Break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cosmo always watches his human when he trains. He just wishes he wouldn't push himself so much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This has overprotective Cosmo.
> 
> Tags: Overprotective Cosmo, Keith trains too much

"Take A Break"

"Start training level thirteen."

Cosmo watched as his human attacked the robot. He was on high alert but knew that his human wasn't in any real danger. The first time Keith had trained, Cosmo thought he was being attacked and had tackled the robot, unintentionally defeating the level, but his instincts had told him to protect his human. Keith hadn't been angry at Cosmo, because he was just following his instincts to protect Keith. Keith used that time to explain to Cosmo what he was doing and that he was not in any danger. Fortunately, the cosmic wolf understood and didn't disrupt any future training sessions.

Keith didn't even spare his wolf a glance. He had to keep his attention on the gladiator, which happened to be dual wielding. That suited Keith just fine as he could do the same. He had his bayard in his left hand and his Marmora blade in his right. He had been going for several vargas and was getting tired, but he wanted to see how far he could get.

Cosmo tracked Keith's movements across the training deck with ease, never once losing sight of his human. He was on his paws in an instant when Keith was knocked to the floor.

"End training sequence." The gladiator powered down before it was swallowed by the floor. Keith stayed on the floor, panting slightly. Cosmo padded over and nudged Keith in the side with his nose. "I'm okay, boy. Just tired."

Cosmo wiggled his body under Keith's arm and teleported them to Keith's room. He managed to get Keith to duck through a decent shower. Keith was at first going to put on a clean pair of pants and t-shirt, but Cosmo held out the pair of Red Paladin pajamas. Keith knew better than to ignore Cosmo. He took and put on the pajamas. Cosmo latched onto Keith's sleeve and tugged him down into his nest. Cosmo laid down, and Keith snuggled up against Cosmo's fur. He was so soft and comfortable. The cosmic wolf curled around Keith and laid his tail over Keith's legs. Keith's eyes slid closed as he fell asleep, content to rest with his wolf.

Fin


	82. Perfection (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith always loved sunrises on Earth, and now, he was able to share that with his husband. Lance, though, has a surprise for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is post series Klance.
> 
> Tags: Klance, Post series, Season 8 didn't happen, Sunrise, Surprises

"Perfection"

Keith was sitting on the porch swing, watching the sunrise. He loved the sunrise in the desert; always had. He used to watch it sometimes with his Dad. It was a simpler time, just him and his Pop. Now, he had another individual he got to share it with, Lance. They had finally beat the Galra Empire and established peace in the universe. Keith knew Lance had family on Earth and considered it home as well. Keith didn't have any connection to the planet but considered wherever Lance was home.

The door opened, and Lance took a seat on the porch swing next to his husband, handing him a cup of tea and kissing his temple. "I see I haven't missed much."

"No. You just made it in time." Keith snuggled against Lance and sighed in contentment. "This is nice."

"There is something that would make this even more perfect."

"And what would that be?"

"I got the phone call from the Garrison. Not only did I get the job, our files went through, and we are cleared to adopt a child."

Keith's eyes lit up, and he kissed Lance. "That _is_ perfect!"

"What kind of kid do you want to adopt?"

"I want to pay forward the kindness Shiro gave me and adopt a kid who has been returned by many foster families and given up on."

Lance smiled and kissed Keith's temple. "I can understand that. We can go later today if you'd like."

"Yes. I'd like that very much, but for now, I want to watch the sunrise with the most perfect man in the universe."

"But that's what I'm doing."

"Sap."

"You love me anyway."

"I do."

Fin


	83. At Ease

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Paladins were able to remove the programming Haggar put in Kuron's brain, and now he was a normal human.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is an AU, where Shiro didn't die, though the Paladins don't know where he is, and Kuron was able to be freed from the mind control.
> 
> Tags: AU, Kuron is good

"At Ease"

Keith walked into the lounge and saw Kuron sitting there, reading. Keith was glad they were able to remove the programming Haggar put in his brain, and now he was a normal human. Keith was still getting to know him but liked what he saw so far. He was nice and genuinely took interest in what everyone was doing, wanting to help out in any way he could.

Not everyone was at ease with Kuron staying on board the ship. They still had to find the real Shiro, wherever he was, but Kuron was a good pilot for Black since she let him pilot, which was good because Keith still went on Blade missions. He was back at the castle ship for good, but when he was needed, Kolivan contacted him. Keith and Kuron took turns flying Black just like Allura and Lance did with Blue, so Keith and Lance did the same with Red. The three lions loved their primary Paladins as well as their secondary ones and didn't seem to have a preference as to which one flew with them.

So far, Keith hadn't heard from Kolivan, so he assumed he wasn't needed for a Blade mission. He sat down next to Kuron. "What are you reading?"

Kuron looked up in surprise but smiled as he saw it was Keith. Of all the Paladins, Keith was the one who was most at ease with him. "Hi, Keith. I was just reading something Coran suggested. Did you need something?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to do some sparring, specifically hand-to-hand combat."

Kuron's eyes lit up. "Sure. I'd love to!"

Kuron followed Keith to the training deck, where both of them began stretching. Once they were sufficiently stretched, they stood up and approached the middle of the floor. He caught the smirk on Keith's face and realized that this was for fun as much as it was for actual training purposes, and he was more than okay with that.

Fin


	84. Adopting Twins (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith and Lance are looking to adopt a child and end up with two.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is a sequel to Volume Four Chapter 82 "Perfection" and is post series Klance.
> 
> Tags: Klance, Post series, Adopting, Sequel

"Adopting Twins"

Keith and Lance were holding hands when they entered the orphanage that morning. The receptionist greeted them. "Good morning, gentlemen. May I help you?"

"Yes. We are the Kogane-McClains and we're here to adopt."

"Oh yes. We were told to expect you in the next couple of days. Right this way." The receptionist led them through a nearby door. "What kind of child were you thinking about adopting? A baby or young child, maybe?"

"No. I want to look at the files of any children that have been returned here many times and may have been given up on," Keith replied.

"Why would you-"

"Because I was," was the cold reply.

Lance wrapped an arm around his husband's waist and gave him an encouraging squeeze. They followed the receptionist into a room, where they were invited to sit. She left quickly, leaving the couple alone in the room. "Are you okay, baby?"

"I hate institutions like this. They don't care about the older children or the ones with deep emotional trauma. Everyone likes the babies and small children."

"They are the cutest." The receptionist had returned with a couple of thick files that were placed on the table and a couple of ladies that were in charge of adoption.

"Be that as it may, we know what we want. Someone had the kindness to look past my tough exterior and be a mentor to me. I want to pay that kindness forward and adopt a child that has been given up on." Keith reached for the files. He looked at the thickest file first. It was for a ten-year-old boy named Jeff, and his file indicated that he had a fraternal twin named Lisa. Keith peeked at the other file and found that it was Lisa's file. He looked up. "I want to meet Jeff and Lisa."

"Are you su-"

Keith's glare cut the woman off. Lance laid a hand on his husband's shoulder. "Please bring them here."

The woman who had been silent nodded at her companion, who left to collect the children. She slid the paperwork and pens over to Keith and Lance. "If these two are the ones you wish to adopt, this is the paperwork that needs filled out."

"I'll start filling this out, while you meet with the kids," Lance said, pulling over the paperwork and picking up one of the pens. He slowly started filling in the necessary information.

Just then, Keith stood up, his eyes locked onto the door, or rather the children that walked into the room. Jeff had short black hair and blue eyes, and Lisa had the same blue eyes, but her black hair was long and put into a ponytail. They looked like a perfect combination of him and Lance. "Hello, Jeff, Lisa."

Jeff crossed his arms, but Lisa met his gaze. "Why did you want to see us?"

"Lisa! I thought we weren't going to talk to them!"

"You should show some respect! These men are talking about adopting you two!" the lady who brought them in exclaimed.

"Stop. It's not their fault," Keith cut in. "They have seen this scene before. They always get this far, but then get rejected for a number of reasons. The parents don't want older children, are only looking for one child, and/or don't want 'difficult' children."

"How do you know?"

Keith knelt down in front on the twins. "Because two of those reasons were why I aged out of the system. I did end up finding a kind man who was a mentor to me, but he never fostered or adopted me."

"You were just like us?"

"Yes, and my husband and I want to adopt you both."

"Hey, Keith. What's your middle name again?" Lance called out, pausing in filling out the paperwork.

Keith rolled his eyes and looked over his shoulder. "Lance, you know it's Akira."

When he turned back to the kids, he was surprised to see Jeff looking at him. "Are you the Paladins of Voltron?"

"Yes. I piloted the Black Lion, while Lance piloted the Red Lion."

"The Paladins of Voltron want to adopt us?" Lisa echoed.

"Yes we do, if you'll have us." Keith wasn't surprised to have the two children throw themselves into his arms. He wrapped his arms around his children. He just knew these two were the ones they were meant to adopt.

He looked over at Lance, who muttered, "Jeff Kogane-McClain, Lisa Kogane-McClain" as he wrote their new names down.

Keith nodded. Jeff and Lisa were their children now, and they would never give up on them.

Fin


	85. Regret (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith regrets what he said during the game show.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This takes place directly after Season 7 Episode 4 "The Feud!" and is Klance.
> 
> Tags: Klance, Season 7, Confessions, Purring Keith

"Regrets"

'I just don't wanna be stuck here for eternity with Lance.' Keith punched his pillow. Why had he said that about Lance, especially after Lance had said such nice things about _him!_ He punched his pillow again. He was such a mess and had probably messed up any chance at getting to know his right hand man any better.

A distinctive pop caught Keith's attention, and Keith wasn't surprised at Cosmo's entrance. The cosmic wolf seemed to know when Keith needed him. Keith hugged his wolf and gripped his fur between his fingers. "Why did I say that about Lance? Why couldn't I say the real reason I chose him? He deserves to see his family again, especially since he has such a large family, a complete family, one that misses him. He didn't deserve to stay there for eternity, especially when Bob kept calling him a 'dum-dum.' That was exceptionally rude."

"You were right when you called him a jerk."

Keith's head jerked up at the sound of a very familiar voice. "Lance?"

"Hey, Mullet."

"What are you doing here? How did you-did Cosmo bring you here?" Keith looked at his wolf. "Why did you bring Lance here?"

"Yeah. Cosmo appeared in Red and then poof, here I am, hearing my leader tear himself apart over something he said in a stupid game show."

"Well, I shouldn't have said what I said. It wasn't supposed to come out like that. It was really mean."

Lance pulled Keith into his arms. "Hey, hey. I know you didn't really mean that. I knew there was a different reason for you picking me. I know you got nervous about explaining your reasons."

"You're really perceptive, you know that?"

"Mostly when it comes to you. I-I really care about you, Keith."

"Really, Lance?" Keith smiled. "I love you too."

Lance brought his mouth close to Keith's. They were mere inches away from Keith's, but Lance seemed to be hesitating as if he didn't know if Keith wanted to kiss him. Keith decided to take matters into his own hands and closed that minute gap between their lips. Their kiss lasted for several doboshes, their need for air the only thing that separated them. Keith held Lance close and purred to him before he abruptly stopped.

"Aww, don't stop, Kitten. I liked it."

Keith blushed but didn't comment on that. "Lance, if you're here, who's flying Red?"

"You know she can fly herself, right, Kitten? All of the lions can."

"Yeah. I didn't know if she could do that for you and at less than minimal power."

Lance paled slightly. "I think going back might be the best idea. I'll see you again, soon, Kitten. Come on, Cosmo. Take me back to Red."

With that command, Cosmo whisked Lance away, leaving one thing on Keith's mind.

"I'm not a kitten!"

Fin


	86. Instinctual Reaction (DoM, Klance) *

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith has a nightmare and goes to the training deck. He is so hyper focused on training that when Lance comes to pull him off, he doesn't recognize him and flings him into the door. Fortunately, one of Keith's pack members had come to pull Keith off the training deck and was able to catch Lance and prevent injury.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, and Antok survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. This is also Klance and was suggested by WildflowerDar.
> 
> Tags: DoM, Klance, Nightmare, Training, Galra Keith, Instincts, Request

"Instinctual Reaction"

Keith sat bolt upright, gasping for breath. It figured that the one night he fell asleep away from his pack, he'd have the worst nightmare he ever had. It had been a strange dream. They had gone back to Earth, and Keith was alone. The Paladins had gone back to their families, but Keith was separated from his. His pack wasn't welcome on Earth, so they left...without him. He was utterly alone again.

He knew in his heart that his pack would never abandon him like that, but the nightmare had shaken him horribly. He realized that he wouldn't get anymore rest, so he changed into his day clothes and left his room. He headed for the training deck with both of his blades in hand, not caring that he passed by Lance's room.

%%%

Lance had been sleeping fitfully, because Pidge had repoed her headphones again. He kept snitching them, and the tick she needed them, she took them back. So, he was awoken by an unusual sound. He couldn't figure out what it was, so he threw his blanket off and stumbled to the door. He opened it and stuck his head out. Not surprisingly, Keith was already dressed and walking in the direction of the training deck. Lance frowned. He had offered his boyfriend the opportunity to sleep in his room, but Keith had refused but gave him a hug anyway. Lance watched as Keith walked away.

"Keith?" he called out, but it didn't seem like he heard him, which worried him.

%%%

Keith entered the training deck. Since he already had his swords out, he called out, "Start training level twenty."

Two gladiator bots dropped to the floor and started attacking after a tick. Keith went on the attack, dual wielding with ease. He was channeling his fear of abandonment into his attacks, causing him to be laser focused on his training. So much so, that he didn't notice Lance's entrance.

Lance watched Keith, worriedly. This seemed different than his boyfriend's normal training. It seemed like he was fighting like he had something to prove. When Keith defeated the gladiators, he took a moment, and Lance stifled a gasp. Keith's eyes had changed. They had yellow sclera and slitted pupils. Fortunately, they retained Keith's gorgeous purple irises. Lance couldn't help but approach him. "Keith?"

%%%

"Keith?"

Keith whirled around at the sound of his name. In his hyper focused state, he didn't recognize that it was his mate. He took a step back as the human approached before he rushed forward with a snarl and grabbed his arm. He whipped him around and flung him towards the door.

Right at that moment, the door opened, and in walked Kolivan, who was able to catch Lance and maintain his footing. "Lance? What's going on?"

"I don't know." Lance was set on his feet but kept close to Kolivan. "Keith was training, but it seemed different, so I approached him. I guess I startled him because he threw me. Thank you for catching me."

"Thanks are not needed, young one. I had come here to get the kit off the training deck."

"How are you going to do that?"

"Like this." Kolivan studied Keith for a tick before he growled loudly.

Keith stopped like he was frozen, staring at Kolivan. Then, he blinked, and his eyes went back to normal. "Kolivan? Lance?" His eyes widened as he suddenly remembered throwing Lance into Kolivan, of all beings. He whimpered loudly, afraid of what was going to happen.

When Keith whimpered, Lance rushed forward and pulled Keith into his arms. "Hey, cariño. I'm okay. See? I'm not hurt."

"I am also uninjured, kit. You are not in trouble for your instinctual reaction. However, you do need to leave the training deck. It is much too late for training." Kolivan approached Keith and scooped him up into his arms. He looked down at Lance. "Come with us, kit. Keith's going to need all of us tonight."

Lance hesitantly nodded and followed Keith and Kolivan to the nest room. Kolivan entered the nest and sat down with Keith still on his lap. Lance paused outside the nest, still unsure about entering the nest. Thace looked up and beckoned Lance to enter. He did so but settled next to Kolivan and reached out to stroke Keith's hair. Keith turned and looked at Lance before he looked back up at Kolivan and gave a little whimper.

Kolivan looked from Keith to Lance and back again before he slid Lance onto his lap. Keith chirped in thanks and snuggled into Lance's chest. The Blue Paladin was surprised to feel tears soaking into his pajama top. "Cariño, it's okay."

"What happened?" Ulaz asked.

"Keith accidentally flung his mate into me when we tried to get him to leave the training deck," Kolivan said.

"He didn't know what he was doing!" Lance defended.

"Easy, kit. We're not mad at him," Antok soothed. "On the contrary, it means he's allowing his instincts to take over in battle...and training."

"That's good." Lance bumped Keith's head with his. "Though, I would like to know what got you so worked up that you left your room at this time of night. I assume it was a nightmare."

Keith nodded and whimpered. "We had gone back to Earth, and the Paladins went back to their families, but my pack wasn't allowed to stay, so they left. I was all alone again."

The pack was horrified at the thought of abandoning their kit. Antok, Thace, and Ulaz scooted over closer to Kolivan, Keith, and Lance. Thace stroked Keith's cheeks, where his stripes would be if he had them. "Kit, we would never abandon you. You are our kit, and kits are precious to Galra as a race."

"And when we _do_ get to Earth, I'm introducing my boyfriend to my family. My family is going to adore you as much as I do," Lance declared.

Keith sighed and snuggled against Lance even more. Even though he knew he wouldn't be abandoned, it was nice to hear it too.

Fin


	87. A Different Pack Is Still A Pack (Mama Red, Mama Black, DoM Kolivan) *

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith found out that the Paladins (and lions) missed him and decided to go back to the castle ship while still going on missions for the Blade.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Mama Red and Mama Black with a little bit of DoM Kolivan and was suggested by KitCat1995.
> 
> Tags: Mama Red Lion, Mama Black Lion, DoM Kolivan, BoM Keith, Request

"A Different Pack Is Still A Pack"

Keith was resting in the lounge. He was finally back at the castle for good. He still went on Marmora missions, but he was lived at the castle. He had gotten pleas from everyone at the castle to come back to them. Keith was so touched that he requested the transfer immediately. Kolivan was saddened that his kit was going to be away from the base, but he recognized that Keith had his own pack in the form of the Paladins and Alteans. He gave his permission, provided that Keith spent some time with him after whatever missions he went on. Everyone agreed to the terms, and Allura opened a wormhole for Keith.

Keith started drifting off, when he heard a roar in his mind. "Red?"

She brushed against their bond, and Keith not only mentally followed but physically as well. His feet brought him to the lion's hangar as he followed the fluffy lioness form of his lion through their bond into the space where lion and Paladin could freely interact. He was pleasantly surprised to see not only Red but Black and Shiro as well. Keith smiled and approached the trio.

Shiro was relaxing against Black, who had her tail draped across Shiro's lap and was grooming Red. Red was laying down in front of Black, obviously waiting for Keith to join them, which he did. He settled next to Shiro, who wrapped an arm around Keith's shoulder. He relaxed against his oldest friend and their lions. Red turned her head slightly and began grooming Keith's hair, causing him to purr. Shiro smiled at Keith. He had truly missed him, and he wasn't the only one. Both Red and Black had missed him as well. He and Lance could feel it through their bonds with Red and Black. It was extraordinary the bonds Keith had with the lions, and Shiro and Lance felt honored to have felt bonds as deep as the ones Keith had with Red and Black.

Shiro felt Black slap his leg. "You have a strong bond with me as well, my Paladin."

"Keith has a stronger one."

"It's only because the little one is sensitive to quintessence."

"Keep it down. My cub is sleeping," Red insisted, pausing in grooming Keith's hair. She went right back to it once she was finished speaking.

Black and Shiro chuckled. Red was such a mama to her Paladins; always had been and always will be.

Fin


	88. Sword vs. Sword (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith discovers that Lance has a new bayard form.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is a short Klance ficlet.
> 
> Tags: Klance, Training, Swords

"Sword Vs. Sword"

Keith walked onto the training deck, intent on getting some work done with his bayard. It still looked weird seeing the Black Bayard in his hands, but at least it was still a sword. He heard the clang of metal on metal and was confused. Who was using the training deck and using a sword? He entered the training deck and was surprised to see Lance battling the gladiator with a red sword. He apparently had a new bayard form. Keith grinned. He had wanted a challenge. He unlocked his bayard and let it transform into a sword, waiting until Lance beat the level.

When Lance defeated the gladiator, Keith was glad he didn't call out the next level and grinned. He approached Lance with his sword in his hand. "Hey, Lance!"

Lance turned around and blocked Keith's attack, the grin on his face matching Keith's. "Hey, Mullet."

Keith pushed forward a little. "I see you have a new bayard form."

"Yeah. It's an Altean broad sword, according to Allura." Lance pushed back. "I was hoping for a real challenge."

Keith grinned even wider. "Then why didn't you ask, Sharpshooter?"

"Not really a sharpshooter with this sword, am I?"

"You'll always be my sharpshooter."

Lance blushed and ducked under Keith's sword. "You, uh, mean that, Keith?"

"I do, and if you want me to teach you a thing or two with your sword, I'd be happy to."

"Yeah, yeah. That'd be great."

Fin


	89. De-Aging and Aging Up (DoM, Thulaz, Antolivan ) *

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The kits of the pack (Keith, Acxa, and Regris) are adults and the adults (Kolivan, Antok, Ulaz, Thace, and Krolia) are kits. De-aging/aging up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, Antok, and Regris survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith, Acxa, and Regris their kits. Krolia is here as Keith's mom and pack member. Acxa is here as Keith's twin and pack member. This is Thulaz and Antolivan and was suggested by Tayzx101. 
> 
> Tags: DoM, Thulaz, Antolivan, De-Aging, Aging Up, Kit Kolivan, Kit Antok, Kit Thace, Kit Ulaz, Kit Krolia, Adult Regris, Adult Acxa, Adult Keith, Galra Keith, Fighting Instincts, Play Fighting, Naps, Request

"De-Aging and Aging Up"

When Keith woke up in the nest, something didn't feel right. He couldn't quite figure it out until he opened his eyes. There were five kits and two adults in the nest gathered around him. There was one female kit and the rest were male, all of whom looked familiar. Keith maneuvered out of his place near the female kit, who was curled around his head. He didn't remember falling asleep with a kit curled around his head. He remembered falling asleep tucked under his Mama's chin. He looked around at everyone, his eyes widening in surprise.

The kit that had been curled around his head was purple with darker purple cheek stripes and purple headfur tinged with magenta, making her look like a kit version of his Mama. The next set of kits were curled up with each other. One was lavender with a white strip down the middle of his head, and the other one was a violet purple. The next set of two were the adults. One was a female with short, blue fur and darker blue headfur, and the other one was a male who looked like Regris, being the same color as their pack leaders and had pointed ears and headfur like Thace's. The last two kits were both male and looked to be approximately the same color. The one with a tail also had a scar across his left eye, large furry ears, and a strip of white fur on the top of his head. The other one had red markings on his head, a scar across his right eye, fluffy ears, and white headfur tied into a braid.

Keith supposed he was older as well and couldn't help the chirp he made at the realization that his pack were the opposites ages they were supposed to be. The result was instantaneous. All five kits and the two other adults woke up and looked at Keith.

Krolia cocked her head. "Keith?"

"Mama, what happened?"

Krolia looked around at her pack and finally down at herself. Her eyes widened. "I-I don't know."

"Why are we kits?" Thace asked, his ears drooping.

Ulaz wrapped his arms around his mate. "I don't know either, Thace. I could run some tests."

"You aren't going to be running any tests," Regris spoke up. "You are a kit."

"But how are we going to know what happened?" Ulaz questioned.

"We could think of what all of us went through recently," Acxa suggested. "It can't be that hard, since the eight of us usually don't do the same thing."

"It doesn't necessarily have to be at the same time. The adults, well kits now, would have to go through the event at the same time as well as the three of us," Keith mentioned. "Wait I know! It must have been during that mission last night!"

"The one where we were looking for information on the delivery of the weird quintessence?" Regris asked.

"It must have been. We had split up with you three going in one direction while the rest of us went in the other direction," Kolivan mentioned. "We were covered in a blue quintessence."

"It was hard to get it out of my fur," Thace grumbled.

Keith scooped up Thace and gently nuzzled him. "It's okay, Thace. You did a good job getting it out."

Thace melted in Keith's arms and purred to him. Keith purred in response though it sounded more like a rumble than a purr. Krolia looked at what Keith looked like as an adult. He did have a few more Galran features than he did when he was younger. He had her purple cheek stripes, fangs, and large, fluffy ears. His hair was also longer. Acxa scooted over to her twin and started braiding his hair. He relaxed and continued his rumbling purr.

"How long is this going to last?" Antok asked, wrapping his tail around Kolivan's waist.

"If someone would let me run some tests, I'd be able to tell," Ulaz retorted.

Thace slipped out of Keith's lap and over to his mate. "It'll be okay, 'Laz."

"What about if I go with Ulaz and help him?" Keith asked. "Since I worked with him a lot."

Ulaz perked up. "I like the sound of that."

"Everyone else stay here, and Ulaz and I will get answers," Keith said before adding under his breath, "Hopefully."

Keith held his arms out in case Ulaz wanted to be carried. Ulaz blinked at Keith's offer. "Kit, why are you..."

Keith lowered his arms. "I don't know why I did that. I think it was my instincts."

Acxa rumbled to her twin. "It's okay, Keith. Go with Ulaz to the med bay, and help him run the tests, but get dressed first."

Keith looked down at his clothes and noticed his usual long shirt wasn't as long or as loose as he liked it. The five kits were swamped in the casual clothes their adult selves wore to bed. Since they didn't have clothes small enough for the kits, they had to wear long shirts until clothes could be found.

Ulaz waited for Keith to get dressed. He actually had to wear Thace's clothes, which were a little baggy. The two Blades walked to the med bay, Keith's hand landing on Ulaz's headfur. Ulaz tried to resist the urge to purr at the motion but failed. Keith couldn't fight the new instincts as well.

"Sorry, Ulaz," he whispered before scooping the kit up. "My instincts were screaming at me to pick you up."

Ulaz snuggled against Keith's shoulder. "It's all right. I understand. I don't recommend trying that with Kolivan or Antok. They may not appreciate it."

"But Thace and Mama would?"

"Why do you still call Krolia 'Mama'?"

"She's still my mother. It just feels right." The two Blades made it to the med bay with Keith carrying Ulaz into his office. He set the little kit on the chair, him scrambling to rest on his knees to see over the desk.

Keith exited the office in order to collect the items he knew Ulaz would need. Helping Ulaz in the med bay had its perks. It was fortunate that the med bay was quiet and mostly empty so no one was around to see the adult Blade that looked so much like the youngest kit of the leader's pack. Once Keith was done collecting everything, he returned to Ulaz's office. Keith let the kit run tests on himself and Keith to determine how this happened and how long this would last. True to what Keith and Kolivan had suggested, both Keith and Ulaz showed a small amount of the weird quintessence their groups were exposed to. The duration was fortunately quite short, only for the rest of the quintant was Ulaz's guess.

"That's a relief," Keith stated with a sigh. "Let's go back to the nest."

"You go back, kit. I should stay here and do some work."

"Oh no you don't, Ulaz. You're not allowed to work." Keith scooped up the kit and carried him out of the med bay and into the nest room. Keith was pleased to see his pack dressed and still in the nest. He set Ulaz into the nest next to Thace and stepped into the nest himself, noticing that Krolia was snuggled in Regris's arms and purring softly.

Strangely, Antok was in Acxa's arms as the adult female seemed to be stopping him from leaving. Seeing her twin's confused look, Acxa explained, "He was trying to leave to go train."

Keith chuckled and held his arms out to the group of kits. "Anyone want to come here?"

Ulaz resolutely cuddled against Thace, intent on not being in Keith's arms again, even though he liked it. Keith noticed that Kolivan was fidgeting slightly like he wanted to but was fighting his instincts. He crawled over and settled next to Kolivan, pulling the kit onto his lap. He rumbled to the kit. "It's all right, Kolivan. We all have these new instincts to get used to. If you want to be held, you just have to ask."

Kolivan sighed and cuddled against Keith. "What did you and Ulaz find out?"

Keith nuzzled Kolivan. "It was as we thought. When we were on last night's mission, our respective groups got doused by weird quintessence, causing this change. Fortunately, Ulaz said it would only last for the rest of the quintant."

"Kits," Krolia said, looking at Regris, Acxa, and Keith. "We need to eat."

Regris tickled Krolia lightly. "Are you hungry, Mama?"

Krolia giggled. "Yeah."

"How are we going to get food when we all look like this?" Keith asked.

"We put an order in and one of us goes to get it," Thace answered.

"I can do it, especially if I wear my mask," Regris volunteered. He pulled out his data pad and opened a message to the kitchen staff. He explained that Krolia's twins were ill and the entire pack was taking care of them along with the fact that he was going to collect the food. He typed up what he wanted and got Keith's, Acxa's, and Krolia's orders. Kolivan and Antok gave theirs as did Ulaz. Thace leaned over to Regris and gave his order. Surprisingly, it contained a lot of vegetables, making Regris frown. "That's not a good idea, Thace. You need a bit more variety."

Thace pouted slightly and modified his order. Regris sent the message and waited ten doboshes before he put on his uniform and mask. Keith smiled. If he didn't know any better, he would think it was normal Regris, not aged up Regris. It didn't take too long before Regris returned carrying all eight containers. Krolia rushed over to help her kit and was handed her container and her twins' containers. Regris handed out the other containers to the de-aged Blades.

Everyone started eating from their containers. Krolia sat between Keith and Acxa, both of whom had a kit in their lap. Antok looked comfortable in Acxa's lap, especially since he wasn't being restrained. Kolivan didn't look like he wanted to leave Keith's lap anytime soon. Thace and Ulaz sat beside Regris, a kit on each side.

Once everyone ate their food, Kolivan and Antok snuggled against the adult holding them, their eyes drifting closed. Thace and Ulaz laid against Regris with full bellies. It was only Krolia that was fighting her nap. Keith looked down at Krolia. "Mama, why don't you get some sleep?"

"I don't." Krolia yawned. "Don't want to."

Keith reached over and petted her headfur. "Why don't you lean against me and close your eyes? You don't have to sleep, just relax."

Krolia nodded and did as her youngest kit suggested. Just as Keith figured, it didn't take long for Krolia to actually fall asleep. Acxa looked down at their de-aged mother before addressing her twin. "How did you know that would work?"

"The pack told me the same thing when I was learning about my kit needs. I would deny that I needed a nap, so they said for me to close me eyes and relax. I would invariably fall asleep not long after I closed my eyes." Keith noticed the kit in his arms shifting slightly and softly rumbled to the kit, soothing him and allowing him to rest easier.

Several vargas later, the five kits woke up. Keith nuzzled Kolivan, who purred at the affection, and petted his Mama's headfur. Antok slipped off Acxa's lap and reached for his sword that was in a pile to the side of the nest. Kolivan let out a questioning noise at his mate's actions. Antok paused and huffed. Kolivan growled, and Antok whined.

Keith and Acxa were watching the interaction between Kolivan and Antok. Acxa scooped up Antok and sat him in her lap again, while Keith unbraided Kolivan's white strands and ran his fingers through it. Acxa sighed. "Antok, you can't train. Your blade is the same size you are at the moment. It won't be safe."

"Kolivan, I know you are the leader, but your kit instincts are more prevalent. Let us take care of you five until this wears off."

Kolivan didn't immediately respond. He didn't know if he should agree with Keith. Krolia looked over and climbed into her son's lap. She hugged Kolivan. "Keith's right, Kolivan. We are kits right now. We can trust them."

"All right." He looked over at Antok and whimpered a little. Antok looked over and let out a questioning noise. "I'm sorry, 'Tok."

"It's all right, 'Van."

Kolivan reached out to Antok, who slid off Acxa's lap and climbed into Keith's. Keith was knocked backwards due to having three kits in his lap. The three kits looked over at Keith in concern and smiled when Keith laughed. Acxa reached over and plucked her Mama out of Keith's lap, allowing Keith to sit back up. Antok wrapped his tail around Kolivan's waist and his arms around Kolivan. Kolivan relaxed in his mate's arms, purring.

Thace and Ulaz were sitting in front of Regris, cuddling and whispering. "I want to go to the med bay and get some work done. I know it's piling up."

Thace tightened his grip on his mate and replied, "I know, my mate. It's not a good idea."

Ulaz buried his face in Thace's shirt and whimpered a little. Regris was watching them, and Ulaz's whimpering broke his heart. He didn't like hearing any kit whimpering. He reached out and stroked Ulaz's headfur, rumbling to him. Ulaz looked up, and Regris could tell that he wanted picked up but also wanted to still be held by Thace. Regris solved that issue by scooping up both kits and cuddling them. Regris looked over at his siblings. "We should have these kits do something other than stay in the nest."

"I don't know. We don't need the base to learn what happened. None of us look completely different than we normally do, so it's pretty easy to figure out what happened," Keith replied.

"We can let them tumble and play fight in here. That's what they let us do," Acxa brought up.

"That's an idea, but how do we get them to agree?" Regris asked.

"We can hear you," Kolivan muttered.

Keith tickled Kolivan a little. "Then why don't you do it?"

Kolivan chuckled, buried his face in Antok's fur, and mumbled something.

Keith's ears twitched. "What was that?"

"I'm comfortable."

Keith grinned. "That's okay. I can watch over any kits that don't want to over there." He pointed over to the far section of the nest. "I know Kolivan is coming with me. Is anyone else?"

The other four kits looked at each other and shook their heads. Antok nuzzled his mate and slipped out of Keith's lap. Keith shuffled over to the far section and let Kolivan lay across his lap. The young kit watched his fellow kits tumble and play fight across the nest, unconsciously whimpering softly. Keith's enhanced hearing caught the soft whimpers partially hidden by the playful growls of the play fighting and looked down at Kolivan. "Kolivan, what's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"That answer doesn't work when I say it, so it won't work when you use it. Try again."

Kolivan sighed. "I'm comfortable, but I also want to join in."

Keith nuzzled him. "I understand. I get that way sometimes, and I remember what you guys told me."

Kolivan looked up at Keith and saw the smile on his face, his fangs easily seen. "We've told you a lot. Which one?"

Keith playfully growled and tickled the kit in his lap. "Cheeky. It was 'do what feels right.' If it makes you feel better, all of us can play fight."

"Yeah?"

"Of course." Keith stood up and walked over to the group of kits. To Keith's surprise, Kolivan sprang from his arms and tackled his mate.

Keith locked eyes with his twin and smirked, flexing his fingers. She grinned and tackled him. They were careful to make sure they didn't get too close to the kits, but their play fight ended when Krolia tried to tackle her daughter. Acxa managed to catch her Mama. That seemed like the catalyst to cause the rest of the kits to play fight with Keith and Acxa. Regris watched over all seven members of his pack until Keith called out, "Join us, Reg. Lock the door, and come have some fun."

He did just as his brother asked and tackled Keith. The eight pack members were having so much fun that they lost track of time and missed lunch. By the time they realized it, it was too late for lunch, but they still each ordered a slightly larger snack than normal, and Regris also put in their dinner order early.

Regris retrieved their snacks and dispersed them. The pack ate their meals quietly, satisfied with how the day had gone so far. It had been a long time since they had all had a quintant off to spend with each other. After their snack, Keith tugged Kolivan back into his lap, remembering how Kolivan wanted to be held. The kit snuggled into Keith's lap, not noticing that Keith yawned. Krolia had noticed though. She rubbed her head against Keith's arm. "Kit, why don't you get some rest?"

"But, Mama-"

"No, kit. You're tired."

Keith ducked his head. "Yes, Mama."

Keith shifted and relaxed with Kolivan still cuddled up on his lap. Krolia snuggled against her kit and purred to him, relaxing him even further. Keith struggled to keep his eyes open, but when Kolivan started purring too, he let his eyes close and fell asleep. Acxa and Regris grinned as their brother purred in his sleep. They weren't surprised that Kolivan and Krolia were asleep next to Keith but turned their attention to the three other kits.

Acxa watched as Antok glanced from his blade to where his mate lay and back again. She tensed in case he decided to try for his sword again but needn't have worried. He moved over to where Kolivan was laying and curled around him. She grinned and turned her gaze to the two kits near Regris.

Thace and Ulaz were cuddling near Regris. Thace was grooming his mate's short headfur. Seeing as the two awake kits were preoccupied, Regris locked eyes with Acxa and stood up. "Keep an eye on these two, while I go get dinner."

Acxa nodded and watched the two kits as Ulaz turned around in Thace's arms and started grooming Thace's chest, paying attention to his starburst scar.

It didn't take long for Regris to return with the eight containers in his claws. By that time, Keith, Kolivan, Antok, and Krolia were awake and scattered around the nest. Acxa was running her claws through her twin's now unbraided hair. Regris handed out the containers to the kits before he approached his siblings. "Are you okay, Keith?"

Acxa answered for him. "This situation is hard for him. I hope it's really over tomorrow morning."

"Well, the sooner we eat, the sooner we can get everyone to sleep. Hopefully, this'll wear off while we sleep." Regris handed the other two containers to his sister and brother, the latter of whom sat up.

Regris looked around the nest at his pack members, who were eating. He opened his container and started eating, hoping he was right in thinking that it was going to wear off while they slept.

Fin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note 2: Regris cracked an eye some time in the middle of the night and smiled sleepily. Kolivan, Antok, Thace, Ulaz, and Krolia were adults again and he, Keith, and Acxa were back to their original ages as well. Krolia was curled around Keith, Antok was curled around Acxa with Kolivan behind his mate, and Thace was curled around Regris with Ulaz behind his mate. Regris's eyes slid closed, glad that everything was back to normal.


	90. Taking Turns (Team as Family)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith and Lance had just come back from a mission to a planet that has an unusual side effect that deters aliens from staying. The aliens get de-aged for a quintant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is NOT Klance. It's just Keith and Lance getting along like team mates.
> 
> Tags: Team as Family, De-Aging, Kid Lance, Kid Keith, Side Effects

"Taking Turns"

"Ouch! Let go, you little monster," Keith growled. He couldn't believe he was in charge of watching the de-aged version of Lance. He knew he and Lance had been getting along better lately, but did that really mean he had to watch him?

He and Lance had come back from a mission late the previous night and had promptly passed out in their rooms. When everyone woke up, they had had a seven-year-old Lance on their hands. Pidge and Coran promptly scanned Lance before they dropped him off with Keith. Hunk stayed in the kitchen to bake cookies for his de-aged best friend. He remembered that Lance loved snickerdoodle cookies, so he tried his best to recreate them. Shiro and Allura were scanning the planet Keith and Lance had been on. The scans from the planet and from Lance said the same thing: it happens all the time to deter aliens from staying, it would last one quintant, and it would happen to Keith after Lance was back to normal.

Keith set Lance back on his feet and rubbed his head where Lance had yanked on his hair. He was so glad this almost over, just a few more vargas before they were going to bed. Just then, he felt slight pressure around his waist. He looked down and was horrified to learn that Lance had unsheathed his Marmora knife and was waving it around. Keith chased the little boy in the blue and white hoodie. "Lance, no! That's dangerous! Please give it back!"

"Look at me! I'm Keith!" Lance called out gleefully. He knew it wasn't the smartest idea and that he was causing problems for Keith, but it felt so nice, and he couldn't help it. It apparently was a side effect from the planet he and Keith were on, and he knew that Keith would be acting the same way tomorrow.

While Lance seemed distracted, Keith managed to slip the knife out of Lance's grasp. He quickly sheathed it and scooped up his little team mate. "All right, Lance. You had your fun. Now, it's bed time."

Keith carried Lance to his room and set him down. He turned to leave but was halted by a tug on his pants. He turned back around and looked down. Lance looked nervous about something, so Keith knelt down. "What's wrong, Lance?"

"Can you stay here with me? I don't want to be alone tonight."

Keith's heart broke for the little boy, and he knew he couldn't say no. "Of course. Let me change my clothes, and then, I'll be back."

Lance nodded and let Keith stand back up. He changed his clothes and sat on the bed to wait for Keith to return. A few doboshes later, Keith returned, dressed in his Red Paladin pajamas. He smiled softly when he saw Lance sitting on the bed. He sat down on the bed and pulled the little boy into his arms, laying both of them down. He dropped a kiss on the little boy's brown hair. "Good night, Lance."

"Night night, Keith."

%%%

When Lance awoke, he was seventeen again, but Keith was seven-years-old. Lance grinned. He was going to take care of Keith for the quintant. He laid in bed, waiting for Keith to wake up, which didn't take that long.

Keith's eyes opened, and he realized that he was now the little kid. He felt a hand curl around his head and a kiss drop onto his forehead. He frowned and tried to push Lance away. However, it didn't work as Lance was bigger than he was.

"Today's going to be fun!" Lance slid out of bed and tossed a shirt and a pair of pants to the young boy. When the Paladins had realized that Keith was going to go through the same thing Lance did, Shiro had found a black t-shirt and a pair of black pants for Keith to wear.

Keith got dressed while Lance changed his clothes in the bathroom. Once Lance and Keith were wearing their clothes, Lance swept Keith up onto his shoulders and carried him out of the room. Keith scowled at the back of Lance's head. It was going to be a _long_ quintant.

Fin


	91. Empty Threats (DoM, Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith wants to spend time with Lance but doesn't know that his pack wants to know how much Lance cares for their kit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, and Antok survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. It's Klance with a half-Galra Keith that occasionally looks half-Galran.
> 
> Tags: DoM, Klance, Galra Keith, Kit Keith, Kit Lance, Protective Thace

"Empty Threats"

Keith was happy that his pack was allowed to stay on the castle ship with him. It meant that his pack and his mate were in the same place at the same time, and he could spend time with both. He decided to forgo training in favor of cuddling with his mate in the nest. Unfortunately, Lance was nowhere to be found...or so he thought.

%%%

Lance was slightly nervous as he sat in the nest with the Blades. He got along with Kolivan, Antok, Thace, and Ulaz in general, but this was the first time he met them as Keith's mate. He was hoping that they approved of him, since he loved Keith so much.

Kolivan, Antok, Thace, and Ulaz wanted to question their kit's mate alone but didn't get the chance as Keith entered the nest room, and his eyes landed on the five beings in the nest. He chirped and leapt into the nest, cuddling with Lance.

Keith's Galran features appeared as he cuddled his mate. His tail wrapped around Lance's waist, his ears laid back in contentment, and he was purring. Lance wrapped his arms around Keith, enjoying the feel of his mate's fur.

"Kit, we were about to ask Lance how much he cares for you, but it is unnecessary now. It's obvious how much you both care for each other," Kolivan said.

Thace reached over and grasped Lance's chin, lifting his head a little. "That being said, if you hurt our kit, we will toss you out an airlock."

Lance shrank back a little and gave a little whimper, similar to their kit's whimpers. Ulaz paused. "Lance, how old are you?"

"I'm seventeen, just a deca-phoebe younger than Keith."

Thace's eyes widened. He couldn't believe he just threatened a kit! "My apologies, kit. I didn't realize your age."

Keith let out a questioning noise at the same time Lance asked, "Why are you calling me 'kit,' and why does my age make a difference?"

"You are younger than Keith, and we consider him a kit," Antok replied.

Keith lifted his head. "Since we're mates, they are going to consider you a kit as well."

Lance nuzzled Keith's neck, eliciting a purr from the raven-haired teen. "Well, that's okay, cariño, as long as they like me and won't throw me out an airlock."

Ulaz grinned. "As much as throwing you out an airlock would be satisfying, Keith would be sad if we did that, and we wouldn't hurt our kit like that." Lance breathed a sigh of relief until Ulaz bent close. "However, you going a few rounds on the training deck with the rest of my pack with me patching you up at the end would be more likely if you hurt Keith."

Keith shook his head slightly and snuggled further into Lance. He knew Lance would never hurt him, so his pack's threats would never come to pass.

Fin


	92. Two Gays Chilling In The Pool (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance goes to the pool and is simultaneously pleased and dismayed that Keith is already there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: It starts as pining Klance but ends up as Klance.
> 
> Tags: Klance, Swimming Pool, Crushes, Confessions

"Two Gays Chilling In The Pool"

Lance was really apprehensive about going to the Altean pool for a few reasons. The top most reason was because the pool was upside down! Who had their pools upside down? The Alteans, that's who. It was crazy, but seeing as Lance and his fellow humans were living in an alien space castle and fighting against a group of purple space cats (and one of said humans was _part_ space cat), it shouldn't have come as that much of a surprise.

Another reason was because his crush would more than likely be there. On his first and only trek to the pool, he was joined by Keith, the one guy he crushed on hard at the Garrison and his crush didn't fade away. It only got worse being stuck in space with him. Nevertheless, Lance was on his way to the pool.

When he got there, he was surprised to see Keith swimming in the upside down pool. Lance watched for a few doboshes, silently admiring his crush's body. He was perfect, even with his scars. The only major one was on his right shoulder, and he had gotten that from the Trials of Marmora.

Keith noticed when Lance entered the room. It was hard not to notice Lance, especially when he had a crush on the brunette. He was perfect, even though he tended to run off at the mouth. "Hey, Sharpshooter, are you just going to stare or are you going to join me?"

"And how _do_ I join you?"

"You didn't ask how the pool works?"

"Obviously not if I'm asking you."

"Take two steps to your right and there'll be a ladder in front of you. Climb up. Once you're up here, the gravity will take effect, and you'll be able to swim."

Lance hesitantly followed his directions and was pleasantly surprised that it worked. He climbed into the pool. "Thanks, Mullet. So, who did you ask?"

"Coran. He was more than happy to show me how it worked, though he was surprised to learn that I love the water. Apparently, the Galra don't like water."

Lance laughed. "Just like house cats!"

Keith grinned. "Yeah. I guess."

"I don't mean anything by that. It's in my nature to make jokes about everything. It's a way to lessen the tension in the room."

Keith smiled a little. "Thanks, Lance."

Lance grinned. "Do you wanna race?"

Keith grinned back. "Sure."

"One, two, three, go!"

Keith and Lance took off and swam to the end of the pool and back with Lance being the winner but not by much. Keith sighed and relaxed against Lance. Keith knew what he was doing, and Lance's brain short circuited at the closeness of his crush.

Keith hoped his bold move didn't backfire. He was fairly certain that the Blue Paladin had feelings for him, and he was wanting to confess before too much longer.

Once Lance's brain rebooted and caught up to the situation, he asked, "Hey, Keith, buddy, what are you doing?"

"Enjoying laying against my crush."

"Your crush?"

Keith looked over his shoulder at Lance. "You want me to spell it out? Fine. I really like you, Lance. I have for awhile now."

"That's not what I meant! I thought I was the only one that had a crush. I didn't know you had a crush on me."

"I do."

"Well, I had a crush on you since the Garrison." Lance put his arms around Keith, relishing the contact.

"Do you want to be boyfriends then?"

"I'd love that." Lance spun Keith around in the water and claimed his lips in a gentle kiss.

Fin


	93. Mama Krolia (Krolia/Keith's Dad)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Krolia adores her new kit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is pre-canon with baby Keith with his parents, Krolia and Calvin.
> 
> Tags: Krolia/Keith's Dad, Pre-Canon, Baby Keith, Loving Parents

"Mama Krolia"

Krolia sat down in the rocking chair her mate acquired for her. In her arms was her little kit. She couldn't believe she had a tiny kit of her own and loved him so very much. He was loosely wrapped in a slate blue blanket and nestled in her arms. She liked that he looked so much like her mate, except for his hair, which was darker, and his eye color, which was her purple. She gently kissed his black hair, and he nuzzled her chest. She smiled and let him nurse from her.

"Hungry little thing, ain't he?"

Krolia smiled at her mate. "Of course he is, Cal. He's part Galra. He's got a lot of growing to do to catch up to my side of the family."

"Is it just eating a lot? I just want to make sure our little man gets what he needs."

"He needs a lot of food, especially meat when he gets to that age, and affection. Affection is very important to Galra. We are an affectionate race, and our development is closely tied to how much affection we receive."

"That's why you don't lay him down much."

"Yes. He is very little and requires a lot of attention."

Calvin held his hands up. "Easy, darlin. I'm not saying it's a bad thing. Little tyke just loves his Mama. Just like I do."

Krolia's cheeks were tinged with a purple that matched her cheek stripes. She dropped another kiss on her kit's soft hair as he fell asleep, a quiet purr escaping him as he slept in his Mama's arms.

Fin


	94. Hurt Lance (Klance, Broganes)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance gets injured on a mission, protecting Keith.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Klance and broganes.
> 
> Tags: Klance, Broganes, Galra Keith, Hurt Lance

"Hurt Lance"

How long had it been? Keith didn't know, but however long it was, it was too long. Lance had gotten injured on a mission, protecting Keith. Keith had almost gotten shot, but Lance threw himself in the path of the laser. Seeing Lance get hurt caused Keith's eyes to turn Galra and his teeth to sharpen into fangs. He rushed the sentry and dispatched it in no time at all. He hurried back to Lance and lifted his boyfriend into his arms, not realizing that he was sporting more Galran features (purple, fluffy ears, purple cheek stripes, and a long, thin, purple tail) as he was laser focused on getting Lance back to the castle and into a healing pod.

It didn't take Keith long to make his way back to Red, who purred to her Paladin. Keith sat in the pilot's seat with Lance still in his arms. "Take care of your mate, my cub. I'll fly us back."

"Thanks, Red."

Red flew her Paladins back to the castle in record time, and Coran helped Keith get Lance into a healing pod. No one mentioned Keith's Galran features as they knew that they showed up when Keith was experiencing intense emotions. Also, no one mentioned when Keith left the pod room, came back wearing Lance's jacket, and sat down next to the pod containing Lance.

Shiro ushered everyone out of the pod room, only pausing to pat Keith on his left shoulder. "Lance will be okay. He's strong."

Keith whined softly and tugged Lance's jacket tighter around his body. Shiro's heart went out to Keith. He knew how much his brother cared for Lance. He hoped that Lance wouldn't be in the pod for long.

%%%

The front of the pod disappeared, and Lance willed his body to not stumble out of the pod. He took a deep breath, slowly opened his eyes, and stepped out of the pod. The figure next to the pod drew his attention. He saw his boyfriend, sporting Galran features, and wrapped up in his jacket, sleeping and whimpering softly. Lance carefully picked him up and carried him out of the pod room and to his room. He sat on the bed and laid Keith down on the bed, laying beside him and pulling him into his arms. He laid his head on top of Keith's, glad that Keith's whimpers changed into purrs as if he subconsciously realized that Lance was okay and holding him. Lance allowed his eyes to close, pleased that Keith had waited for him to get released from the pod.

%%%

Keith realized a few things without opening his eyes. First, he was laying down when he had fallen asleep propped up by the pod that his mate was in. Second was that someone was holding him. Third and most important thing was that Lance's scent was all around him. He cracked an eye open and was pleased that Lance was laying on the bed and had his arms wrapped around him and his head on top of his. Keith closed his eye and snuggled further into Lance's chest, purring once he fell back asleep.

Fin


	95. Kin (Mama Krolia) *

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith hates what this war has done to his team and his family, but it's not all bad. However, it would be better if they could find Shiro and get rid of this Emperor Pro Tem, whoever he is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is the twenty-sixth story in the Mama Krolia Series. This takes place during Season 3. This was specifically requested by KitCat1995. Regris is 25, Lotor is 24, Ezor is 22, and Acxa and Keith are 19.
> 
> Tags: Mama Krolia, VLD Timeline, DoM, Reunions, Season 3, Black Paladin Keith, Request

"Kin"

Why did Shiro have to disappear again? Why did the Black Lion have to choose a new Paladin? Why was it Keith? Keith didn't have answers to these important questions nor did he have the time to even contemplate the questions; not when there was a new threat.

"Attention, Paladins of Voltron. This is the son of Zarkon, Emperor Pro Tem of the Galra Empire. Surrender now or you will be destroyed."

"We've been set up!" Pidge cried

Of _course_ they had. Nothing had been going right since the fight with Zarkon. Why would _this_ be any different? Now, he had to try to be the leader Shiro wanted him to be AND deal with this Emperor Pro Tem, whoever he was, though he did sound familiar to Keith if he was honest with himself, but he didn't have enough time to breathe, let alone figure out why he sounded familiar. Everything seemed to be happening so quickly. One dobosh he was messing up, leading his team into a trap this enemy set up, and the next they went into an alternate reality, extracting a comet made of the same ore that King Alfor used to create Voltron, only to have it stolen by Zarkon's son. Not everything was bad though. Just recently, they found Shiro and had located the comet. Now, they were staring at a ship that was apparently made from the comet.

Team Voltron turned around to dash back to their lions when the bay door that led into the corridor opened. Keith was in the back of his team, so he couldn't see who was exactly in front of them, which didn't matter in the long run as a large, furry female jumped up and tried to land a punch on Allura. It created a cloud of smoke, created by the force of her punch, which provided cover for another female (this one with a tail) to attack Pidge and then Hunk. Keith watched as Lance started shooting at another female; however, this one Keith recognized. It was Acxa! A quick scan of the area yielded the sight of his other sister. He yanked off his helmet and chirped loudly, a kit noise he often made when they all lived at headquarters. All eight of the others stopped fighting and turned in his direction. Ezor's and Acxa's eyes widened a tick before they quickly approached Keith and wrapped their arms around him. The three of them purred to each other, the girls nuzzling their youngest brother.

"Uh, Keith, what the quiznack are you doing?"

Keith looked up at his team, specifically at Lance, who had spoken. "These are my sisters."

Hunk looked at Acxa. "Hey! We saw you in the Weblum!"

Acxa shuddered. "Ugh. Don't remind me. It took forever to get the smell off of me."

Keith nuzzled her. "You did a good job, Acxa."

Acxa looked at her other two generals who were staring at her and Ezor as they nuzzled their youngest brother. "Zethrid, Narti, stand down. They are not truly the enemy."

"But Lotor said-"

"He didn't know that our brother was here."

Keith perked up. "Is he here?"

"He is close by. He's the Emperor Pro Tem."

Keith's eyes widened. "What? But he introduced himself as Zarkon's son."

"Lotor is biologically Zarkon's son. Mom just adopted him," Ezor stated.

"I knew Mom adopted him. I just didn't think about who his biological parents were."

"Keith! What is going on?!" Allura demanded.

"Princess, there's going to be a diplomatic discussion on the castle ship in ten doboshes," Keith announced. He turned to his sisters. "Can you two and Lotor make it in that time?"

"Of course."

%%%

As soon as Lotor, Ezor, and Acxa entered the bridge, they heard a chirp and landed on their backs in a pile. Keith was on top of them, smiling widely. "Hi, guys!"

Keith let out a squawk when he was lifted off his siblings by the back of his clothes. He looked to see who had grabbed him. Surprisingly, it was Allura. "You shouldn't tackle potential allies, Keith."

"They aren't just allies, Allura. They're my siblings."

"Siblings?" Allura echoed.

"Yes. They are all my kits." Krolia entered the bridge with Regris behind her.

"Mom!" All four of her kits rushed over to Krolia, Regris joining in. All five of her kits tackled her and they all ended up in a pile, Krolia laughing. She purred and nuzzled each of her kits.

Lotor pulled Keith closer and nuzzled him. "Hello, little brother. I missed you."

"I missed you too, Lotor, but what was the big idea about not introducing yourself properly?" He lightly punched him in the arm. "You never once said your name!"

"You should have been able to recognize my voice."

"I have been away for two deca-phoebes and under an extreme amount of stress." Keith grinned. "After all, I do pilot the Black Lion."

Lotor's smile faltered. "Th-The Black Lion? You pilot the Black Lion?"

"Well, now I do. I did not originally pilot the Black Lion. I was originally the Red Paladin."

Suddenly, the doors to the bridge opened and in walked Kolivan, Antok, Thace, and Ulaz. The four Dads made their way to Krolia and her group of kits. Regris was glad that his father was still alive. He had been severely injured in the battle against Zarkon and would have died had it not been for Princess Allura. Allura had provided him with a little bit of quintessence which stabilized him giving him time to get into a cryopod. He knew that Allura didn't care for Galra as a race, but she still saved his father's life, which he was grateful for (even if it was simply because she understood that Antok was family to Keith, who was family to Allura). The Blades all nuzzled each other in greeting, especially Lotor, Acxa, and Ezor, all three of whom had been isolated from their pack for so long, and if Keith had his way, his pack would never be separated again.

Fin


	96. Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the first episode of the series, the Castle of Lions scanned each Paladin. What did those scans reveal, and who looked at them?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This takes place during the first episode.
> 
> Tags: First episode, New Paladins, Computer Scans, Secrets

"Secrets"

While the new Paladins went after the Green and Yellow Lions and Allura attempted to locate the Red Lion, Coran checked the computer systems, specifically the scans of the new Paladins the computer did when they first arrived. Something in the back of his mind told Coran to look at the scans alone, and he always listened to that little voice. The scans contained details of each Paladin; their name, age, race, and gender.

The first three entries were standard, even though everyone's ages concerned Coran a bit. Most of the Paladins were quite young. It was unfortunate that the lions seemed to have chosen this ragtag group.

~Takashi Shirogane - 25 deca-phoebes old - male - human~

~Alejandro "Lance" McClain - 17 deca-phoebes old - male - human~

~Tsuyoshi "Hunk" Garrett - 17 deca-phoebes old - male - human~

Then next entry surprised him a little.

~Katie Holt/Pidge Gunderson - 15 deca-phoebes old - female - human~

Why did she have two names listed? He had thought the newest Green Paladin was female, but why was everyone referring to her as 'him' then?

~Keith Kogane - 18 deca-phoebes old - male - Galra/Human hybrid~

Coran's eyes widened. The newest Red Paladin had Galra blood in him! He stroked his mustache, deep in thought. He hadn't realized that the Galra had ever been to the Paladin's home planet. However, if they had, then why wasn't it taken over? But since it wasn't taken over, then the Galra _hadn't_ been there, but then how did the Paladin have Galra blood? Did he _know_ he had Galra blood?

Coran took the files and put them in a secure file under several encryption protocols that was sure to deter most anyone, especially Allura. He wasn't keen on keeping secrets from the princess, but these secrets weren't his to tell. He hoped both Katie and Keith would tell their secrets soon. Having big secrets like these didn't bode well for forming Voltron.

He figured Katie knew her secret, but the question was did Keith know about his heritage? Coran somewhat doubted it. He didn't have any reason to believe that he did and no reason to be frightened of him or blame him for the actions of a few Galra. After all, he wasn't even alive when Altea was destroyed. Unfortunately, Coran doubted Allura would think of it that way. She was racist against _all_ Galra, and her hatred of them would damage any relationship between her and the new Red Paladin.

Fin


	97. Natural Talent (Blind Keith, Thulaz)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith and flying should have been a good fit, so why was he so bad at the simulator?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is the fifteenth story in the Blind Keith series. This is Thulaz. 
> 
> Tags: Blind Keith, Thulaz, Simulator, Flying, Natural Talent

"Natural Talent"

It only took Keith a couple of quintants to claim he was all healed up, but Ulaz wouldn't clear him for an entire movement. Once Keith received the all clear from his Papa, Thace kept his end of the promise and let his kit try his hand at flying the simulators. Thace could tell Keith understood a lot of the principles and theories associated with flying but seemed to be having issues with actually flying in the simulator. Thace didn't understand. Keith had the understanding that even seasoned pilots didn't have but couldn't fly. Was it the one thing his blindness prevented him from doing?

Thace could tell his kit was getting frustrated and even a little depressed at his failure, so he decided that a change of scenery was necessary. He scooped up his kit, who gave a surprised chirp. No matter how old Keith got, Thace would never find him too big to pick up. "Daddy, where are we going?"

"You need a change of scenery, kit. We're going to go flying in a real ship. I'll take you flying, so you can feel the thrill of flight."

Keith clung to his Daddy as the violet furred Blade carried his kit to the hangar. He signed out a ship and did the pre-flight checklist, explaining things to his kit as he went. Once the checklist was done, Thace described the layout of the ship before letting Keith touch the controls. Satisfied with the layout, Keith found his way to the co-pilot seat and strapped himself in as Thace sat in the pilot's seat and started the ship.

Keith felt the rumble of the ship which was different than the turbulence acting on the ship. That was the major problem with the simulator. The rumbles all felt and sounded the same, so it was impossible for Keith to determine if there was an engine problem or if it was simple turbulence.

The flight was amazing and indeed lifted Keith's mood until the return trip. When Thace was navigating the path between the black holes and the giant blue star, a solar flare struck the ship and fried the navigational array, rendering it inoperable. Thace nearly panicked. He couldn't navigate the path without the map, which had been supplied by the navigational array. His mind was in a state of near panic and barely registered the small hands flying across the control panel, activating the co-pilot controls.

Keith could tell there was a problem, and his Daddy didn't know how to fix it. Good thing Keith didn't rely on maps. He felt the difference between staying on course and veering off. He calmly and slowly piloted the ship back to the hangar and landed like he had done it before. Thace's mouth was practically hanging open in awe of Keith's obvious natural affinity for flying. Where were these skills in the simulator?

"Well done, kit. I want you to show the rest of the pack, but we need a new ship first."

Keith perked up. "Can I do the pre-flight checklist?"

"Certainly, and I will supervise," Thace replied almost immediately. Keith smiled as Thace led him to a new ship. The two of them completed the checklist with only one minor mishap. Keith couldn't tell how much fuel was in the ship. "Sit in the co-pilot's seat, kit, and I will get the rest of our pack."

Keith smiled brightly and sat in the co-pilot's seat just as his Daddy said. He didn't have long to wait before his pack's scents reached his nose. He turned around. "Hi, Papa! Hi, Kolivan! Hi, Antok!"

"Keith? What are you doing in the co-pilot's seat?"

"Daddy told me to sit here."

Ulaz looked at his mate. "What do you have planned?"

"You'll see. Let's take a quick trip outside." Thace sat down in the pilot's seat and started up the ship. He flew it out of the hangar before he swiftly switched the co-pilot's controls on.

Keith realized that his Daddy turned on his controls. He grinned and navigated the path flawlessly. He exited into the endless infinity of space. He slowed the ship and turned, grinning to his pack.

They were amazed at Keith's natural talent. Since when could he pilot this well? They had all seen his failures in the simulator.

"Why were you so horrible at the simulator, kit?" Kolivan asked.

Keith shyly admitted, "The sounds were fake and impossible to tell apart. Here in the real ship, I can hear the difference."

"Well, kit, we found your area," Thace stated. Keith's grin was blinding.

Fin


	98. Working Late (Sheith)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro was working late again, which doesn't sit well with Keith, especially since the Omega is going into a heat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Season 8 compliant Sheith with Alpha Shiro and half-Galran Omega Keith.
> 
> Tags: Sheith, Alpha Shiro, Omega Keith, Galra Keith, Heat

"Working Late"

Shiro yawned as he stood at his station. He was so tired, since he hadn't been to bed yet. He had sent his boyfriend to bed already and had meant to join him soon after, but he got bogged down with work. He couldn't leave the work for the morning or to his bridge crew. He knew that Keith wasn't going to be happy about his absence. He just hoped he would stay in his room, especially since he would more than likely have his Galran features visible.

Shiro wasn't ashamed of his boyfriend's mixed heritage and loved that he sometimes looked the part, but not everyone was comfortable with having that easily seen. He knew Curtis, Coran, and Veronica had no problem with Keith's additional features. However, Iverson and the MFE pilots were on the bridge, even though the pilots should have gone to bed already.

Shiro's data pad dinged, and he withdrew it, answering it immediately. His eyes were greeted with the irritated visage of his boyfriend. His fluffy ears were pinned back, and his tail could been easily seen, swishing in the background. "Hey, Keith."

"Don't 'hey, Keith' me! You were supposed to be in here with me!"

"I know, baby, but you know how work is."

Keith hissed. "I don't _care._ I want you here _now!"_

The hiss startled Shiro. "Baby, what's wrong?"

"I-I-" Keith whined. "I need you, Alpha."

Shiro knew what his boyfriend meant. His heat was starting soon. The pre-heat was a distinctive smell, and he had smelled it on him all day; one reason he had sent him to bed early. He knew his Omega would start nesting that day and saw him sitting in a very plush nest during the call. Shiro knew he couldn't deny his boyfriend. "I'm on my way, koibito."

Keith purred when he heard the pet name. He adored when his mate spoke to him in Japanese. He couldn't understand most of it but loved the sound of it. "Hurry, Alpha."

The connection ended, and Shiro looked up at the individuals standing on his bridge. Curtis and Veronica were smiling at him. Coran gave him a wink. The Altean knew of Shiro's relationship with Keith and had helped the hybrid when Shiro wasn't there. He flicked his eyes to the MFEs and none of them were looking in his direction, but that didn't matter to him. His focus was now on his Omega. He had to take care of him. "Coran, you're in charge for the next movement. Please do not disturb me except for under the most dire emergency."

"Yes, sir. Take care of your Omega, Captain."

Shiro hurried from the bridge, heading for his shared quarters. He made it in record time and dashed into the room. He saw his half-Galra boyfriend laying in the nest he made. The door closed behind him as he sent his floating arm ahead of him. It caressed Keith's hair, eliciting a purr from him. Shiro hesitated at the edge of the nest, waiting for his boyfriend's permission to enter. Violet eyes met his, and Shiro knew he had better enter the nest or his Omega was going to be rough with him. If Shiro was honest with himself, he was curious to see how rough his Keith could be. This was going to be an interesting movement.

Fin


	99. Arranged Marriage (Adashi) *

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Princess Acxa of Daibazaal (sister of Prince Lotor) and Prince Keith of Earth are in a blind, arranged marriage set up by King Shiro and King Adam with Emperor Zarkon and Empress Honerva. Keith does not want to marry Acxa but is forced to do so to unite their planets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Adashi but NOT Kacxa or Klance (Keith and Lance are close friends) and was suggested by RoseRozu.
> 
> Tags: Prince Keith, Princess Acxa, Altean Lance, Royalty AU, Arranged Marriage, Bodyguard Lance, King Shiro, King Adam, Adashi, Request

"Arranged Marriage"

It was a very exciting day. The prince of the Earth and the princess of Daibazaal were to marry. It was a blind, arranged marriage that would unify their planets and solidify their alliance. However, the prince was completely against the very concept.

"How am I supposed to love someone I never met?!" Keith exclaimed.

"You will have the opportunity to do so for the rest of your lives," King Adam answered. His husband, Shiro, patted his hand. A sweet smile was exchanged between them. "Now, the princess and her family are scheduled to arrive soon. Go to your chambers. Someone will be along to collect you when it's time."

Keith scowled but stalked away to his chambers. He couldn't believe he was required to marry this snooty princess and couldn't talk his Dads out of it. He flopped back onto his bed and stared at his ceiling. He couldn't tell how much time had passed, but the knock on his door was expected. Keith sighed. He figured it was one of the servants, maybe even the brown haired Altean. Keith liked how Lance bantered with him like Keith wasn't above his station. He never treated Keith like he deserved to be on some kind of pedestal. Keith liked Lance as a good friend and had been happy when his request of having Lance as his personal body guard was approved.

"Come in." Keith's smile faded when it wasn't Lance or even one of the other servants who opened the door. It was a blue skinned female. "What are you doing here?"

"I know you don't like this, but could we try to get along?" Acxa pleaded.

"In the public's eye, we will be the perfect couple."

"And out of the public's eye?"

"I do not like this. I will go through with the ceremony but I will never love you. It is my duty as Prince of the Earth to unify our planets. We will be married but only in words. I will never share my chambers with you." Keith turned his back to her. "Now, run along, little princess. You are not supposed to be here, especially when you're not wanted."

A tear slid down Acxa's cheek as she slipped out the door. Keith kept his back to the door. He probably shouldn't have been that rough with her, but he wanted to make sure she knew her place and didn't get any ideas.

A soft knock on the door drew him from his thoughts. "Prince Keith?"

Keith turned around. "Lance, come in."

Lance pushed the door open and closed it behind him. He looked at his charge. "Are you all right?"

"Honestly? No. My 'intended' paid me a visit."

Lance blinked. "She wasn't supposed to see you, especially before the ceremony."

"I'd rather she didn't see me at all."

Lance approached the prince and put his hands on his shoulders. "I know you don't like her, but you are the prince."

"I know, Lance."

"I'll always be with you, Keith. Now, let's get you ready." Lance helped Keith get dressed in his finest clothes and escorted him to the chapel, where the ceremony was to be taken place. Keith took his place at the front of the room. Lance stood behind and slightly to the left of Keith, dressed in his guard uniform.

The Kings of Earth entered the room and approached their son. "We're proud of you, Keith, for doing this, despite your objections. We're sure you'll learn to love Acxa."

Adam and Shiro took their seats in front of Keith and Lance, leaving the seats in front of the bride's place for her parents, who entered next. Empress Honerva entered with her son, Prince Lotor, escorting her. They took their seats right before the trumpets began playing the traditional wedding march. To Keith's ears, it almost sounded like a funeral march (if it was played a little slower). His eyes landed on Princess Acxa being escorted up the aisle by her father, Emperor Zarkon. The closer they got, the shorter Keith felt his fuse get. He took a tiny step back, feeling Lance behind him. He whispered, "You got this, Keith. I'm behind you 100%."

Keith took a deep breath and accepted the hand of his bride-to-be. He fought to keep the disgust from showing on his face, and only the knowledge of Lance being there kept Keith from throwing his duty to the wind and offending both the royal families.

Fin


	100. Contentment (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance is resting in his boyfriend's arms when he feels a strange sensation. Why was Keith licking his hair, and, more importantly, why did he like it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Klance with a more Galran looking Keith.
> 
> Tags: Klance, Galran Keith, Relaxing, Grooming, Purring Keith

"Contentment"

Keith was relaxing in the nest they had in the lounge with Lance in his arms. His tail was wrapped around Lance's waist. He nuzzled his face in Lance's hair, inhaling the scent of the strange Altean shampoo he used, which reminded Keith of coconuts for some reason. His fluffy ears were relaxed, and he started purring as he completely relaxed, cuddling his boyfriend.

Lance grinned when he heard Keith purring. Even though Keith looked more Galran, Lance loved him all the same. He was glad everyone loved the way Keith's Galran features showed up. His long, thin, purple tail was prehensile and was also prone to wrapping around Lance's waist or caressing the cheeks of one of their ship mates. His fangs weren't as easily seen, unless he smiled or talked to someone. His cheek stripes were a feature he received from his mother, Krolia, as was his hair. His hair was no longer black but two toned (dark purple with magenta underneath). He also had large, fluffy Galran ears that Lance loved to rub, which always left him with a purring mess in his arms or on his lap. Lance had closed his eyes when he felt the strange sensation of something going through his hair. It felt strange but good at the same time.

%%%

Keith started grooming Lance's hair on instinct, hoping to soothe his mate. He could feel the tension in Lance and knew grooming would calm him down, so he hoped the same was true of Lance.

"Uh, Keith, baby, what are you doing?"

"Grooming you."

"Why?"

"You're tense, and I'm trying to help calm you down. Is it not helping?"

"I didn't say that. I'm not used to it, especially since you haven't done it before."

Keith stopped. "I-I'm sorry, Lance. I didn't think about how you might view grooming."

Lance reached up and rubbed one of Keith's ears, eliciting a purr. "I didn't say you couldn't. I just didn't know what you were doing. It was a weird sensation, but I liked it."

Keith nuzzled Lance's head without dislodging Lance's hand. "Can I go back to grooming you?"

Lance hummed and turned in his mate's arms. "Maybe in a moment. I want to do this some more."

Keith purred louder and slid down a little, making it easier for Lance to rub his ears. He nuzzled Lance's chest, enjoying the attention he was receiving from his mate. He would continue grooming him but just not at that moment.

Fin


	101. Triad (Shklance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance is worried when he doesn't hear Keith out patrolling with Shiro.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Shklance with wolf shifter Shiro, wolf shifter Keith, and spellcaster Lance.
> 
> Tags: Shklance, Wolf Shifter Shiro, Wolf Shifter Keith, Spellcaster Lance

"Triad"

Lance fidgeted slightly as a wolf howled outside. It wasn't the howl that bothered him. It was the fact that it was a solitary howl that wasn't answered. Usually when Shiro howled, Keith answered. The only times he _hadn't_ answered were when he was in human form or injured. Lance knew Keith wasn't in human form, because he had seen the large black wolf himself leaving behind the even larger white wolf. That meant he must be injured, which was distressing for more than one reason.

Keith and Shiro were revered as deities in their wolf forms as the townsfolk rarely saw them but had caught glimpses of them protecting the small village from whatever beasts set their eyes upon the town. The two wolves were often left offerings to appease them, as if not doing so would cause calamity to befall the peaceful village. Keith and Shiro would never let that happen, even if the offerings stopped. Lance was from the village and would occasionally stop by to buy things for his home. He needed to be surrounded by nature for his spells to be at their strongest.

It was just by chance that he met the two wolves. Shiro was in wolf form, having a nasty cut across his snout, but Keith was in human form, trying to remember which berries would help heal his mate's injury. Lance happen to be picking berries for that exact purpose as well. He carefully approached them with the basket of berries easily seen. He could see that Keith was very protective of the white wolf, standing between him and Lance. "Who are you, and why are you here?"

"I'm Lance. I live out here, even though I'm originally from the village. I'm a spellcaster, and I'm picking berries to use in potions to aid in healing."

Keith's purple eyes flicked from Lance to his basket to Shiro behind him. "Would it be possible for you to show me where the berries are? My...wolf has sustained an injury that worries me."

"If you and your mate would be amendable to the idea, you could follow me to my home, and I can heal the injury as best I can. I will admit, it still might leave a scar since it's not fresh."

Keith whined at the thought of causing his mate harm when his brain caught up to what Lance had said. "Wait. Why did you call him my mate?"

Lance smiled. "I can see auras. You and your wolf have similar auras, so I know you're a wolf shifter as well, and your auras tell me that you are mates...but are waiting for a third?" Lance tapped his chin. "That is unusual. Wolves are monogamous. Aren't wolf shifters the same?"

"No. Some are, but we are very territorial, so it's rare to run across any others. Can you lead us to your home, so he can be treated?"

"Oh, of course! This way." Lance led the wolf shifters to his home. "I'm Lance, by the way."

"You said that already, but I'm Keith, and this is Shiro."

"Are you by any chance the black wolf that is usually seen at the white wolf's side?"

"Yes. I'm only in human form right now, so I could pick berries."

Lance started preparing said berries. Unfortunately, they took awhile to prepare, but he always had some on hand, already made. He grabbed the potion and handed it to Keith. "This needs to be rubbed into his injury every four hours."

"What do we owe you for the potion?"

Lance waved his hand. "I don't need any money, but I'd like to see you guys more often. It gets lonely here. I wouldn't mind some company."

Keith looked at Shiro. Both could feel a connection to this spellcaster and couldn't explain it. There was something that drew them to him, and they wanted to figure out what it was. "Yes. We'd love to spend time with you."

Once they started spending time together, it became apparent that Lance was their third. He was seamlessly integrated into their lives and brought about a sense of completion. When his mates went out to do perimeter checks, he took comfort in hearing their howls, so when he only heard Shiro's, he was worried for his other mate.

It turned out that Keith was only slightly older than Lance and spent half of his time human and the other half wolf. Shiro usually spent most of his time in his wolf form, but seeing his mates interacting in human form would cause him to shift as well.

The door opened, and in walked Shiro, carrying the larger black wolf on his back. Lance rushed over. "Keith!"

The black wolf lifted his head and gave a whine. Lance petted between Keith's ears. He gently nuzzled Lance's hand, before whimpering in pain. Shiro, in wolf form, carried his wounded mate into the living room, and Lance helped Keith slide off Shiro's back. Keith laid down, his left rear leg sticking out. Lance could easily see the gash on his leg. It was an unusual injury as the fur around it seemed to be singed off as well. Well, the fur would grow back, and Lance wouldn't have to worry about the fur sticking in the wound.

Lance gathered a couple of potions, the berry one for the injury and a cream for the burn. He knelt down next to his mate and explained what he was going to do. He always found it easier to treat someone if they knew what he was doing. "I'm using the potion on the wound and this cream on the area around it."

Shiro curled around Keith, letting the younger wolf bury his face in the soft white fur. Shiro licked Keith's head, providing comfort while Lance healed his injury. It wouldn't be an immediate fix, but it wouldn't scar since Shiro got Keith to Lance quickly. It would still take about a week before Keith would be able to shift back, and Lance knew that Shiro would remain in his wolf form to keep Keith company, but he didn't mind. As long as Keith was comfortable as he healed, that was all Lance wanted.

Fin


	102. Shimmering and Fluttering (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith's wings flutter when his mate's shimmer. His fluttering sometimes shoots him into the sky...or ceiling if he's indoors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is fey Klance.
> 
> Tags: Klance, Fey, Water Fey Lance, Fire Fey Keith, Shimmering Wings, Fluttering Wings, Uncontrollable Instincts

"Shimmering and Fluttering"

Keith loved Lance so much, but he wished his wings would stop fluttering when Lance's shimmered in the sun. It started when they met, and it kept happening, no matter what he did. Even if he didn't see Lance's wings shimmer, his wings still reacted. At first, he had been almost launched into the sky and needed someone to hold onto him, but as he got used to being around Lance, his wings only let him hover over any piece of furniture he had been using.

%%%

Lance sort of felt bad for his mate. He didn't mean to make his wings flutter. It just happened when he was out in the sun, which he was a lot, especially when he fed his fish in his pond. Keith was resting on the couch on his stomach with his head on a pillow. The latest fluttering had sent Keith into the ceiling, and he hit his head on the hard wood. They didn't know _why_ he had such a strong reaction, but Lance felt bad about venturing out into the sun while his mate was hurting.

Keith himself told him to go feed his fish and had positioned himself so he could watch. He liked how Lance looked in the sun near the pond. Keith figured if he could see when Lance's wings started shimmering, he might be able to only hover over the couch and not be launched into the ceiling again. It was not an experience he wanted to go through again.

The sun felt so good on Lance's skin and wings. He just _knew_ his wings were shimmering. His eyes sought out Keith and was pleasantly surprised to see him _just_ hovering over the couch with a tiny smile on his face. Lance breathed a sigh of relief. His shimmering wings did indeed make his mate's flutter, but at least, this time, the fluttering didn't injure him, and Lance was going to make sure that it never did again.

Fin


	103. Kit Instincts and Galran Features (DoM, Thulaz, Antolivan)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith starts developing Galran features and doesn't want to wake up the rest of the pack. Fortunately, Krolia knew where to take Keith. Unfortunately, Thace wakes up and realizes that they were missing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, Antok, and Regris survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith, Acxa, and Regris their kits. Krolia is here as Keith's mom and pack member. Acxa is here as Keith's twin and pack member. This is Thulaz and Antolivan.
> 
> Tags: DoM, Thulaz, Antolivan, Instincts, Galra Keith, Keith and Acxa are twins

"Kit Instincts and Galran Features"

Thace awoke with a whimper. His eyes roved over everyone in the nest. His mate, Ulaz, was curled around him with his arms around his waist. In front of him were two of their kits. Acxa and Regris were curled around each other. There was a space between Acxa and Kolivan, who was snuggled against his mate. The space was large enough for their two remaining pack members, who weren't in the nest at that moment. It was strange. They had been in the nest when Thace went to sleep, but now they weren't.

Ulaz nuzzled Thace's neck. "Go back to sleep, my mate."

"Where are Keith and Krolia?"

Ulaz cracked an eye open. "What?"

"Keith and Krolia aren't in the nest."

Ulaz snagged his data pad and sent a message to Krolia's data pad asking where she and Keith were.

%%%

Krolia groomed her youngest kit. She had left the familial nest with Keith when he was whimpering in his sleep. She didn't want to wake up the rest of their pack. She had scooped him up and took him to her personal nest. He had woken up briefly and looked at her. He realized she was with him and that he was safe with her, so he closed his eyes and relaxed in her arms. He was still shaken from his nightmare and was glad that his mother had decided to comfort him in private.

He snuggled against her. "Mama."

"What is it, my kit?"

"I love you."

"I love you, too, my Keith." Krolia nuzzled Keith's neck and went back to grooming his hair.

"Mama?" Keith whimpered.

"What's wrong?"

"It hurts."

"What does?"

"My head."

Krolia gently touched his head. "Where exactly?"

He touched his ears and his cheeks. "Here, here, and my mouth."

"Hmm." Krolia carefully inspected the three areas before purring to her kit. "You are apparently developing Galran features, my kit. You have my cheek stripes and are developing furry ears like most of our pack has. The pain in your mouth is from your fangs coming in."

"When will the pain stop?"

"As soon as your features finish coming in."

A ding from Krolia's data pad drew their attention. "Who's it from, Mama?"

"Ulaz. He and Thace noticed our absence and were wondering where we went. You have a choice to make, my kit. We can either stay here or go back to the familial nest."

Keith whimpered. "I don't know. I don't want to disturb their sleep."

"They wouldn't mind. Kits are very important to everyone in the pack and not to just the biological parents."

"Can we go back then?"

"Of course, kit. Do you want me to carry you?"

"Yes please." Keith held out his arms.

Krolia scooped her kit and carried him back to the nest. When they entered, Thace and Ulaz were sitting up, but everyone else was still asleep. Thace noticed Keith looked a little different. "Kit, are you okay?"

"It hurts a little. Mama said it was because I was developing some Galran features."

"Do you want to come here, kit?"

"I don't know."

"If you want, I could go get some pain relieving medicine, so you can get some sleep," Ulaz offered.

"If you don't mind."

"I wouldn't have offered if I did mind, kit." Ulaz briefly nuzzled Thace's neck and let his claws drift through Keith's hair as he left to get the medicine. Krolia settled near the other kits and pulled another blanket up and over them to help keep them warm, since they had thinner fur than most of the adults in the pack.

It didn't take Ulaz long to return with the medicine. He handed it to Keith, who swallowed the liquid. He made a face at the taste but relaxed against Thace, who started grooming his hair. Keith's eyes drooped closed as the medicine took care of the pain, letting Keith get some sleep.

Krolia laid down near the other two kits but still being near Keith as well. Keith was pulled between Thace and Ulaz, making sure he was warm enough and able to get some rest. They hoped the rest of his features finished coming in while he slept.

Fin 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, for a Christmassy ficlet, look on my Tumblr which is rubymoon-snape. It's called "Santa Hats." It will also appear here in Volume Four but out of season. I am not posting Wednesday as it is Christmas.


	104. Isolation (DoM)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith is sick with a contagious disease and has to be in quarantine from his pack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Keith raised by the Blade of Marmora. Keith is six in this.
> 
> Tags: DoM, Sick Keith, Keith raised by the BoM

"Isolation"

Keith whined. He didn't feel good. He wanted his pack to cuddle him, but only Ulaz was allowed around him. He wasn't even allowed to be in their nest! He felt his Papa stroke his hair. He opened his eyes halfway. "Papa."

"Shh, kit. It's okay. You're only contagious for the next few vargas."

"Are you sick, Papa?"

"No, kit. As soon as you were diagnosed, I inoculated myself and scanned the rest of the pack. You did not get anyone else sick."

Keith laid his head down and whined again. "I don't wanna stay here, Papa."

"I know, kit. You have to stay in quarantine for now."

%%%

Regris whimpered as he cuddled with Thace in the nest. He missed his pack brother. It had been three quintants since he had seen him in person. Ulaz kept sending them pictures of Keith and a video of the kit saying how much he missed them, which was so sweet, but it also ended with Keith looking worse for wear, which worried the other kit.

The other adults of the pack were worried about both kits. They knew they were really close, even before Regris joined their pack. Now that they were pack, Keith loved spending time with the slightly older kit. Regris was miserable being separated from Keith. It was even worse since he knew his pack brother was still on the base. Thace started grooming the kit's headfur, since he was clinging to him.

The knowledge that both of his kits were miserable broke Kolivan's heart. The tick Keith was released from quarantine, he was going to let both kits and the rest of the pack have the next two quintants off, in order to allow Keith to recover and to reassure the rest of the pack that their youngest kit was going to be all right.

Just then, his data pad dinged. He opened it up and saw it was a message from Ulaz. Keith was no longer contagious, and Ulaz was bringing him back to the nest. Kolivan set his data pad aside and gently nudged the partially dozing kit. "Hey, kit. Ulaz is bringing Keith home."

Regris let out a questioning noise just as the door opened. Keith heard his pack brother's sound and chirped in response. Regris pulled away from Thace, whose tongue ended up licking thin air. His expression was amusing, but neither kit noticed. Keith slipped out of his Papa's arms and into the nest. He tucked himself against Regris, who wrapped his arms around his brother. "I missed you, Keith."

Keith whimpered. "I missed everyone."

Kolivan stroked Keith's hair. "We'll have a couple of quintants to spend time with each other and also let you rest."

Keith looked at Kolivan and chirped. "Really, Father?"

"Yes, kit. You need it." Kolivan bumped his nose against Keith's temple in a Galran kiss (between family members). "Just as much as we do."

Fin


	105. Promised Day Off (DoM)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith was practically coerced into taking a day off, but when he found himself actually looking forward to it, it doesn't happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, and Antok survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. This is Season 8 compliant in relation to Shiro piloting the Atlas and the Paladins living on the Atlas as well.
> 
> Tags: DoM, Season 8, Time Off, Broken Promises

"Promised Day Off"

When Shiro initially suggested it, Keith was opposed to the idea. He didn't need a day off, but when he heard that his pack was going to be coming for a visit, he found himself looking forward to having a day off.

He should have figured something was off when the alarms were what woke him up. The lions had to be launched to help defend the Atlas, especially since the MFEs weren't done recharging. It didn't take long, and Keith found himself back in his room, taking a shower.

A pounding on his door interrupted his shower, but he managed to rinse the soap off his body and quickly dry off before answering the door. He found out it was Lance, because while he was drying off, his right hand man's voice came through the door. "Come on, Keith! The meeting is going to start soon, and Shiro's going to have my head if I show up without you!"

When Keith's door opened, Lance tugged Keith into the corridor. It was only by luck that Keith managed to grab his jacket. He still had his towel over his hair. He quickly donned his jacket as best as he could while Lance dragged him down the corridor. Keith frowned. This wasn't what a day off looked like, but then again, the attack wasn't planned, and the meeting was in response to the attack. Maybe after that, Keith would be able to spend time with his pack.

He wrenched his arm out of Lance's grasp and finished putting on his jacket while still following him. Lance had looked like he wanted to complain, but whatever he was going to say died on his tongue when he saw that Keith was simply putting his jacket on while still following him to the meeting.

Keith and Lance entered the meeting room and took their seats. Shiro started the meeting, and, just as Keith suspected, it was about the attack. It took two vargas for the meeting to wrap up, and Keith was heading for his room, when his name was called out by Hunk. "Keith!"

Keith froze. He knew he couldn't really deny Hunk whatever he asked. The Yellow Paladin was exceedingly kind, and Keith couldn't find it in himself to be mean to him. "Yes?"

Hunk wrapped an arm around Keith's shoulders. "Hey, man. I was wondering if you could help me in the kitchen?"

"Why me? You know I don't really cook."

"No, I know that. I meant as a taste tester. I usually ask Lance, but I need someone with Galran taste buds."

"I don't think my taste buds are Galran, buddy. Why don't you ask one of my pack when they get here? I'm sure either Thace or my mom would love to sample your cooking."

"Your pack's coming?"

"Yeah. Shiro told me yesterday that they were coming today."

"Oh. He said there weren't any scheduled pickups today."

Keith blinked. "They're not coming?" He frowned. "I'm going to double check with Shiro. If they truly aren't coming, then I'll join you in the kitchen."

Hunk smiled. "Okay. See you soon, hopefully."

Keith watched as Hunk walked away. The conversation left a bad feeling in his gut. Why would Shiro tell him one thing and then say the complete opposite to Hunk? It didn't make sense. He pulled out his data pad and initiated a video link with Shiro. "Shiro?"

"Oh, hey, Keith. What's going on?"

"Yesterday, you told me my pack was coming today, but Hunk just said you mentioned that there wasn't anyone coming on board today. So, which is it?"

"I apologize. I forgot to tell you that they were delayed and aren't able to make it."

"So, are they coming at a later date?"

"I don't know. They didn't mention it."

"Oh. Okay. Hunk mentioned wanting my help in the kitchen, so I better not keep him waiting. Bye, Shiro."

"Bye, Keith. Have fun."

Keith ended the video link and frowned as he slid his data pad back into his pocket. He had been practically coerced into taking a day off, and when he found himself actually looking forward to it, it didn't happen, so now, instead of spending a leisurely day in his nest with his pack, he was probably going to spend most of the afternoon in the kitchen, being Hunk's Galran taste tester. Somehow, that didn't feel like an even trade.

Fin


	106. Night Terrors (DoM)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith has a nightmare and wants his Mama. She isn't there at the moment, but his grandfather is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is a more Galran looking Keith raised by Krolia at the BoM headquarters. Kolivan is Krolia's father and Keith's grandfather.
> 
> Tags: DoM, Galra Keith, Mama Krolia, Grandfather Kolivan, Nightmare

"Night Terrors"

Keith whimpered and rolled over in his sleep. A clawed hand stroked his headfur in an attempt to calm him, but Keith could tell that it wasn't his Mama. He opened his eyes, and they focused on the only other Galra in the nest, his grandfather, Kolivan. He whimpered again. Where was his Mama?

"Easy, Little Blade. Your mother will be right back." Kolivan tugged Keith onto his lap.

Keith snuggled against his grandfather but gave a little whimper. He couldn't relax until he saw his Mama, not after the nightmare he had. He had been born looking more like his Daddy and something made his Mama leave him with his Daddy, who died later on, and he was all alone for many deca-phoebes.

He knew it was just a nightmare, especially since he looked more like his Mama. He had extremely short purple fur with the darker purple cheek stripes, and his eyes had yellow sclera with violet irises and black pupils like his Mama. He also had large, fluffy ears like his grandfather.

Kolivan stroked the little kit's headfur and hoped his daughter was on her way back to the nest. He knew it was the only way his grandson was going to relax.

%%%

Krolia could feel something was wrong. She knew it had something to do with her kit. She was glad she wasn't on a mission, so she had no qualms about walking out of the training session. She knew Antok might question her about her departure later, but she was laser focused on returning to the nest.

She entered the nest room and was slightly distressed at hearing her kit whimpering. It was disturbing that he was whimpering even though he was in Kolivan's lap. He was whispering to him, "It's okay, Little Blade. Your mother is on her way."

Krolia rumbled loud, catching both of her family members' attention. Keith perked up. "Mama!"

Krolia entered the nest, and Keith jumped into her arms. She caught him and nuzzled his head, eliciting a purr from her kit. "What's wrong, my kit?"

"I had a bad dream, Mama."

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

"I looked more like Daddy, and you had to leave me with him. Something made you leave us. Daddy died later on, and I was all alone for many deca-phoebes." Keith sniffled. "It was horrible."

Krolia cradled her kit close and licked his cheek stripes, eliciting more purrs from him. She settled in the nest, next to her father, who nuzzled her headfur. "It's okay, kit. It was just a nightmare. You're here with me and your grandfather. You look like me, and I'll never leave you, my beloved kit. Ever. I love you, Keith."

Keith nuzzled his Mama. "I love you, too, Mama."

He yawned, and Krolia nuzzled him back. "Go back to sleep, my kit. I'm here, and I'll be here when you wake up."

Keith closed his eyes, a purr rising in his throat. He relaxed fully in his Mama's arms. Krolia groomed his headfur as he fell asleep.

Fin


	107. Feeding (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance is worried when Keith doesn't make it back to their house before the sun starts to rise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is an AU, where Voltron never happened. This is Klance.
> 
> Tags: Klance, Vampira AU, Vampire Keith, Human Lance, Turning, Blood drinking

"Feeding"

Lance kept his eyes on the sinking moon and lightening sky. His boyfriend was late, too late actually. He couldn't be out this late; the sun could kill him. He usually went out during the night to get blood from a blood bank, since he disliked attacking people, even though he was a vampire.

Lance had met Keith on a night much like this one. He had gone to a double feature movie at midnight. He was about to go into his apartment when movement in the nearby alley caught his attention. He doubled back and saw a group of thugs beating a pale teen. Lance's eyes narrowed. Four on one weren't fair odds, and Lance disliked unfairness. He stepped into the alley and pulled the thugs away from him. It soon became apparent to Lance that he was over his head, and he was sure that he was going to be sporting new bruises the next day, when he heard a growl from behind him. He couldn't explain what happened next. One minute, he was about to get the beating of his life, and the next, he was being helped to his feet by the pale teen he had tried to protect.

"Are you okay?"

"I was supposed to ask you that," Lance retorted. "Some savior I was, but I'm okay. Thanks."

He looked over his shoulder and flinched. "Do you live nearby?"

"Yeah." Lance jabbed a thumb over his shoulder at the building, whose shadow they were hiding in.

"I know this is forward, but can I crash at your place? Just for the day. I'll leave once night falls. I promise."

Lance hesitated for a moment. "Well, you did just save me. It's the least I can do. Follow me. I'm Lance by the way."

"Keith."

To Keith's relief, Lance opened the side door that was located in the alleyway. Keith followed Lance at once, breathing easier once he was inside and away from the gradually encroaching sun.

Looking back, Lance wasn't sure what it was that clued him into the fact that Keith wasn't human or what drew them together, but he wasn't going to complain. He found himself falling further in love with Keith and was certain that the raven haired vampire had feelings for him.

Speaking of the vampire, he was staggering to the house he shared with Lance but was in trouble, causing Lance to run out with an umbrella. He put it up to shield his boyfriend from the sun and let Keith lean against him until they entered the safety of the interior of their house.

"Keith, what happened?"

"I...ran into...hunters...on my...way...to the...bank."

"Were you hurt? Did you get anything to drink?" Both questions were answered with shakes of his head. "You need to feed, Keith. Here. Take from me."

"I...can't. You'll...turn...Lance."

"That's okay. I love you enough to want it. Please. If you don't, you'll die. I don't want you to die." Lance pulled Keith into a sitting position and pulled Keith's head to rest with his mouth on Lance's neck.

Keith took a deep breath before carefully biting into his boyfriend's neck. It was such a sweet taste that it took a great deal of restraint for Keith to not drink a lot of it. He pulled back and licked his lips. "Thank you, Lance. Let me help you now."

"Help? How?"

Keith drew a claw across his wrist. "First, drink. Just a few mouthfuls will do."

Lance closed his eyes and tentatively lapped up the blood that dripped from the wound. After he swallowed the few mouthfuls, the wound closed on its own, a reminder that the body it was on had regenerative powers. Keith wrapped his arms around Lance as painful tremors wracked the slightly taller teen's body. At first, it hurt to breathe, and then, his body spasmed. Each spasm increased in severity until the teen was screaming in agony. He barely felt his body anymore, much less the arms holding it. However, he _did_ feel his heart slow and eventually stop.

Keith kept his arms around his boyfriend's body until the movement ceased. He knew at that time the body had died. He closed his eyes. "1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10."

Keith reopened his purple eyes just as Lance opened his ocean blue ones. "Thank you, Keith."

Keith smiled, showing off his fangs and causing Lance to do the same. "You're welcome, Lance, and thank you. I would have died without your help."

Lance put his forehead against Keith's. "I couldn't let my boyfriend die."

"I know, and I appreciate it. I love you, Lance."

"I love you, too, Keith."

Fin 


	108. Two Voltron Teams (Klance, Kallura)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Paladins meet alternate versions of themselves from a different reality.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Kallura (DotU) and Klance (VLD). Paladin Keith has Galran features that show up occasionally.
> 
> Tags: Klance, Kallura, Alternate Reality, Crossing Realities, Galra Keith, Purring Keith, Arusian Keith

"Two Voltron Teams"

It had been a regular battle, when suddenly there was a flash of light, and another Voltron appeared, although there were slight differences. Once the battle was over and the Galra had retreated, the two Voltrons disbanded and each lion flew into their hangar, their dopplegangers following. Shiro suggested everyone would meet in the lounge.

In the Black Lion hangar, Shiro stared at the figure in red and white when they left their lions. They removed their helmets, and Shiro couldn't help but stare. He looked like an older version of Keith with a longer mullet. Shiro repressed an urge to groan. Lance was going to have fun with this, even though Lance hadn't made fun of Keith's hair in a while. He sighed and gestured for the other pilot to follow him.

%%%

In the Red Lion hangar, Keith left his lion but didn't remove his helmet as he waited for the other Red Lion pilot to leave his lion. The figure wearing blue and white leapt to the floor and removed his helmet. Keith bit back a whine. He looked like an older Lance...with a mullet. Keith grinned. This could be interesting. "This way."

"Not taking off your helmet? Kind of rude, isn't it?"

"I will later. Just follow me."

%%%

In the Blue Lion hangar, Lance was petting his Blue Lion when he saw the figure in pink and white stumble slightly. He was at her side in an instant. Just because he was dating Keith didn't mean he couldn't be a gentleman. "Are you all right?"

"Yes. Thank you. The landing was a little rough." She straightened up and removed her helmet.

Lance offered his arm to her. "Shall I escort you to the lounge, milady?"

Allura giggled and took his arm. "Thank you."

%%%

In the Green Lion hangar, Pidge left her lion and studied the other Green Lion while she waited for the pilot to exit. When he did, she was surprised that he looked extremely similar to her but not the same. Pidge shook her head and hoped they would get along. "Hey, if you want to follow me, we can meet everyone there."

"Hold on! You're a girl?!"

Paladin Pidge repressed a shudder. The other Pidge's voice made her cringe. "Yeah. Is that a problem?"

"No! I find it amazing!"

Paladin Pidge didn't want to get into an argument about what girls can and can't do, so she just repeated, "Follow me."

%%%

In the Yellow Lion hangar, Hunk stared at the other pilot, feeling like he was looking in an aged mirror. He grinned and motioned with his head. "My leader wants us to meet in the lounge. Follow me."

"Of course Keith would want to arrange a meeting."

"Keith? Keith didn't ask for the meeting."

"But you said your leader."

"Keith isn't my leader. Shiro is."

"Who's Shiro?"

%%%

The group of Paladin Shiro and Commander Keith and Paladin Keith and Pilot Lance arrived in the lounge, where Allura (Altea) was waiting. Paladin Keith whispered to Shiro with a grin, "This Lance has a mullet."

"Don't start something, Keith," Shiro said.

"All right." Keith entered the lounge and leaned against the wall, waiting for everyone to show up. Paladin Lance and Allura (Arus) arrived next, followed by both Pidges and both Hunks.

"Keith!" Allura (Arus) called out before rushing over to the commander. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him, his arms encircling her waist.

When they parted, he asked, "What was that for?"

"Do I need a reason to kiss my fiancée?"

A light blush stained his cheeks. "I keep forgetting. It's still new."

Paladin Lance scanned the lounge and spotted his Keith sitting away from everyone. "Keith, are you okay?"

He only managed a small shake before they were interrupted by Shiro clearing his throat. "Now that we are all here, I think introductions are in order. I am Takashi Shirogane, leader of the Voltron Paladins and Paladin of the Black Lion. Call me Shiro."

Shiro turned to look at Keith, signaling that he wanted him to go next. Keith sighed. "Keith Kogane, Paladin of the Red Lion."

"And second in command," Shiro added.

"Doesn't matter. Nothing's going to happen you," Keith shot back. Shiro sighed.

"Anyway, I'm Lance McClain, Paladin of the Blue Lion, resident Sharpshooter."

"Katie Holt, but I go by Pidge, Paladin of the Green Lion."

"Hunk Garrett, Paladin of the Yellow Lion."

"And resident cook for Hunk. Both Hunk and Pidge are our tech geniuses," Lance added.

"Shut up, Lance," Pidge snarked back, but there was no real heat to her tone.

"I am Princess Allura of Altea."

"I am Commander Keith Kogane of the Galaxy Garrison and Voltron Force, the pilot of the Black Lion, and," he blushed here, "fiancée of Princess Allura."

"I am Princess Allura of planet Arus, pilot of the Blue Lion and fiancée of Keith."

"Lance Alverez, pilot of the Red Lion."

"Pidge Gunderson, pilot of the Green Lion."

"Hunk Garrett, Yellow Lion pilot."

"Now, that we are all introduced, I have a question," Allura (Arus) asked. "Are not the Keith and Allura in this reality dating?"

Keith and Allura (Altea) looked at each other before they resolutely looked away. Allura cleared her throat. "I most certainly say not."

"Definitely," Keith agreed.

"Give it time," Commander Keith stated.

The Garrison Trio looked at Keith, then at Allura, and then each other before bursting out in laughter.

"Keith and," Hunk chuckled.

"The princess," Pidge laughed.

"That'll never happen." Lance wiped the tears from his eyes.

"What's so funny about that?" Commander Keith questioned.

"It's nothing against you," Keith responded. "I'm not interested in girls. I'm gay."

"Oh my! My apologies. We're still discovering differences I guess," Allura (Arus) replied.

"There are even more differences than you think," Keith muttered under his breath.

Paladin Lance eyed his boyfriend, having heard him. He could tell his Galran features were out, which was why his helmet was still on. "Come on, Keith, take off your helmet."

"Lance." Paladin Keith's voice held a note of danger, which Paladin Lance ignored. He knew his boyfriend wouldn't hurt him.

"Take it off or..." Paladin Lance trailed off, giving the other pilots the idea that this was a normal thing.

Paladin Keith simply stared at his Lance as if he was daring him to try. He grinned and tackled Keith. Keith growled at his boyfriend, who managed to use the element of surprise to tug off his helmet. He tossed the helmet to Shiro, who caught it on instinct, and Paladin Lance pulled his Keith back onto the couch. Lance sat next to him. Keith curled against Lance's side and refused to look up, knowing his purple cheek stripes usually unnerved people, being a uniquely Galran trait. Lance stroked Keith's ears. "It's all right, cariño. No one's going to hurt you."

The other pilots stared at Paladin Keith in surprise. They didn't expect him to have alien features. Allura (Arus) walked over and knelt down in front of him, placing her hands on his knees. This surprising action caused him to look over, his purple eyes locking with her blue ones. "Your Lance is right. We don't care that you're not fully human."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not either," Commander Keith spoke up. "I'm Arusian."

Paladin Lance buried his face in his Keith's hair to muffle his laughter. He knew the other Keith didn't mean the little Arusians from Arus where they had found the castle, but he couldn't help but imagine a little Arusian with a black mullet. He tried to get his laughter under control but was failing horribly. Paladin Keith flicked his eyes up like he could see his boyfriend. "I doubt he's referencing the Arusians _we_ met."

Allura (Arus) stood up, returning to her team's side. "Did they look like me?"

"No," Lance wheezed.

"Then, they are different. I am Arusian as well."

Commander Keith's eyes flicked between Lance and Keith, noting their positions. "Are you two dating perhaps?"

"Yeah. Mullet here is my boyfriend."

Keith reached up and swatted Lance lightly. Lance grinned and stroked Keith's ears, eliciting a purr from him. It was an instinctual reaction, one Keith couldn't really control, even if he wanted to.

"Dude, are you _purring?"_ Pilot Lance asked.

Paladin Lance kept stroking his boyfriend's ears but answered, "Yes, he is. Do not make fun of it. It took him awhile to be comfortable enough to purr around us."

The purr changed in tone, surprising Paladin Lance. He looked at his boyfriend and was surprised to see his eyes were closed. He made eye contact with Shiro. "Is he asleep?"

Shiro looked over. "Apparently."

Paladin Lance gently switched Keith's position from curled at his side to onto his lap. He wrapped his arms around him, holding him.

"Is he all right?" Allura (Arus) asked.

"Yeah. He just doesn't get enough sleep at night. We all have nightmares from everything we have gone through, from being thrusted into an intergalactic war, but he had a rough life before that," Shiro explained.

"Shiro, can I take him to our room?"

"Of course. Take care of him."

Paladin Lance stood up and carried his boyfriend out of the lounge and into their room. He sat on the bed and shifted Keith off his lap and onto the bed. He laid down next to him and smiled when Keith moved over and snuggled him. He went back to stroking his ears. He reflected on the little bit of interaction between them and the other Voltron team. He didn't like when the other Keith and Allura acted like his Keith should be dating their Allura. He repressed a shudder. Even though Allura had apologized about shunning Keith for his Galran heritage, they didn't have the best relationship.

He sighed and buried his face in Keith's fluffy hair, making sure to avoid his ears. He closed his eyes and hoped the other Voltron team would be able to return to their reality before Keith woke back up.

Fin


	109. Blade Keith (DoM)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lotor never saw the tiny Blade and the non-Paladin human at the same time but never thought why. The human didn't interest him until he learned that he was the tiny Blade.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, and Antok survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. This chapter was inspired by lilflowerpot's amazing Keitor story titled "Little Blade." The idea of Lotor not realizing the tiny Blade and Keith were the same being is lilflowerpot's idea. I'm just borrowing it with permission. However, this chapter isn't Keitor. Lotor is intrigued by Keith.
> 
> Tags: DoM, BoM Keith, Mystery

"Blade Keith"

The first time Lotor saw him, he did a double take. His vision didn't change. There was a tiny member of the Blade of Marmora standing next to the leader of the Blades. The little Blade barely came up to the leader's chest, but the confidence he/she exuded was amazing. It became apparent that this little Blade was an actual member of the Blade and not an example of the leader humoring a young Galra when he assigned him/her to an infiltration mission, and he/she bowed and said, "Yes, Leader."

'So, the little Blade is male,' Lotor thought.

The first time Lotor saw the human, he hadn't given him a second thought until he came across him on the training deck, which was where he constantly was. The human was occasionally in the presence of the Paladins; something he didn't think was strange. Humans seemed to like being in each other's company. It was during one of these times that he learned the non-Paladin human's name was Keith.

He normally wasn't interested in the humans, but for some reason this one intrigued him, not as much as the little Blade but that wasn't an issue, because he never saw them at the same time. He didn't go looking for Keith when the little Blade was on the castle ship, which he only showed up when the Blade of Marmora delegation were there. He was constantly in the company of the four highest ranking Blades, Kolivan, Antok, Thace, and Ulaz. However, the one time he saw him away from the Blades, he had been conversing with Princess Allura on the bridge, their conversation hushed, when Lotor stepped onto the bridge. It came as a surprise when Allura hugged the Blade, who returned the hug. "Please be careful out there."

The Blade laughed and replied, "Kolivan said the same thing."

'Why is this little Blade allowed to be so familiar with the leader of the Blades?' Lotor wondered. This question plagued him until he witnessed Antok and the little Blade sparring. Both Blades had their masks on as usual and were growling at each other, though the growls lacked any real ire or irritation. In fact, they were downright playful. He watched them from the shadows and when the Blades were done, Antok, who had won, patted the little Blade on the head. "You did well, kit."

'Kit? _Kit?!_ The little Blade was a kit! Why was he allowed on missions?' This turn of events confused Lotor as much as anything else, but it did answer the question as to why he was so familiar with Kolivan. The kit must be part of his pack.

He resolved to get to know the kit better as he didn't know any kits that were allowed on missions or anything similar. However, he didn't get the chance as the kit stayed with his pack most of the time or was away from the castle ship.

A couple of quintants later, he watched as Kolivan and Antok took a pod back to their headquarters. He assumed the kit went with them until he overheard Thace asking Ulaz, "Where's the kit?"

"On the training deck of course," Ulaz replied.

This was his chance! The kit was on the training deck. If he waited for him, he might actually get the chance to talk to him. He went to the training deck and entered the room but was disappointed when it was just Keith in there training. Slightly irritated, Lotor leaned against the furthest wall. His eyes kept being drawn to the human tearing through gladiator bot after gladiator bot with a familiar looking sword. Lotor's eyes widened. That was a Blade of Marmora sword...in a transformed state. Only those with Galra blood could unlock a luxite blade. How could this human do it?

A growl from the doorway drew both of their attentions. "End training sequence!"

Keith whined, his blade transforming back into its knife form. "Thace, I almost finished that level!"

"No sass, kit. You have been in here too long. Kolivan told Ulaz and myself to make sure you didn't stay in here all day."

"Haven't been in here all day," Keith muttered under his breath.

Thace heard him anyway. "How long _have_ you been in here, kit?"

"Three vargas."

"Three _vargas?!_ That's it, kit. You're coming back with me to the nest." Thace threw Keith over his shoulder and carried him off of the training deck, neither one noticing Lotor, which suited him just fine.

He hadn't realized that the kit and Keith were the same being. That meant that Keith had Galra blood, but why didn't he look Galra? Somehow, he had to get the answers; he just _had_ to.

Fin


	110. Playing With Daddy (Age Regression, Sheith)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith and Shiro go to the training deck, but not before checking on Lance to make sure he wasn't going to regress while they were training. Their concern touched Lance, but seeing them walk out of the lounge made him regress.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is age regression with Little Lance, Daddy Keith, and Papa Shiro. This is also Sheith.
> 
> Tags: Age Regression, Little Lance, Daddy Keith, Papa Shiro, Sheith, Play Fighting

"Playing With Daddy"

Keith and Shiro were on the training deck, doing some hand-to-hand combat while the rest of the team were relaxing. Before they had retreated to the training deck, they had checked on Lance to make sure he wasn't going to regress when they were training.

Keith flipped Shiro over his shoulder with relative ease. He had gotten stronger while with the Blades. Training with opponents larger than yourself had its advantages. Even though Keith had gotten a lot of bruises and was sore after every training session in the beginning, he was also gaining strength. Shiro did a hand spring and landed on his feet with a grin. He enjoyed training with his boyfriend.

%%%

Lance had been having a good day and even appreciated that his two caregivers had checked on him before they went to the training deck. However, the sight of them leaving made him a little sad, which, coupled with being alone, made him regress. Fortunately, his head space wasn't tiny, but he was three. He wanted cuddles from his Daddy and Papa, so he toddled to the training deck. He hesitated outside the door. His Daddy and Papa always told him that the training deck was too dangerous for a little, but he really wanted to play with Daddy. Daddy loved spending time on the training deck; surely, he'd like to play with him. He entered the training deck and saw his caregivers wrestling. It looked like fun. He squealed with excitement.

%%%

Shiro's and Keith's hand-to-hand combat devolved into a wrestling match a few doboshes before they heard an excited squeal. They paused in their wrestling and looked towards the door.

"Lancey?" Keith stood up, helping Shiro to his feet.

"Daddy! Papa!"

Keith hurried over to the little and scooped him up. "What happened, Lancey?" 

"Wanted to play, Daddy."

"We've told you that this is a dangerous place, sweetie."

Lance's eyes watered. He didn't like disobeying his Daddy or Papa. "But..."

Keith bounced the little in his arms. "Hey, now. There's no need for tears, baby. You're all right."

Shiro stepped closer and stroked his little's hair. "That's right, sweetheart. You're not in trouble."

"No?"

"No trouble, baby. Now, who did you want to play with?"

"Wanna play with you, Daddy!"

Shiro smiled, not offended. Lance always preferred to play with Keith. Shiro ruffled Lance's hair before going to sit on the sidelines. Keith set Lance on his feet and adopted a defensive stance. "Ready, baby?"

"Ready, Daddy!"

Keith was taking it easy on the little; that was obvious to Shiro, who had just spend the last varga sparring against him himself. It was obvious that this was more of a play fight that actual training. Keith was still utilizing the techniques he learned while on the Blades' headquarters but only the ones that he would use when he play fought with younger kits.

Shiro grinned. He knew that not only would Lance need a nap after this, but Keith was liable to take one as well.

Fin


	111. Fighting An Instinct (Age Regression,  Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro is napping with his Daddy, who really wants to groom his little's hair. Lance enters the nest, noticing what Keith is doing and offers a solution.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is age regression with Little Shiro, Papa Lance, and Daddy Keith. This is also Klance with Keith having a few Galran features.
> 
> Tags: Age regression, Little Shiro, Papa Lance, Daddy Keith, Klance, Galra Keith

"Fighting An Instinct"

Keith was laying in the large nest the Paladins kept in the lounge, purring to the little napping in his arms. Shiro always liked to nap with his Daddy but sleep between his caregivers during the night. Keith nuzzled Shiro's short hair and was fighting the urge to groom his little's hair. He knew his baby didn't mind that he had a few Galran features as Keith had shown to be nothing but loving. In fact, his baby loved touching his fluffy ears. Lance, Keith's boyfriend, loved caressing Keith's cheek stripes when they were alone.

Lance slid in behind his boyfriend and buried his face in the longer strands of his hair. Keith purred even louder when Lance joined him in their nest.

"I can tell you're fighting some instinct, cariño. What is it?" Lance whispered into one of his fluffy ears.

"I want to groom our little's hair, but I don't know if he'd like it, and he's asleep."

"I understand. Are you all right fighting it?"

"I don't know."

Lance hummed. "What if we switch places and you groom me?"

Keith shook his head. "Shiro fell asleep in my arms. If he wakes up in yours, he may be fussy."

"What about if we change positions and you lay with him nestled into your side and me on top of you, so you can groom me?"

Keith cocked his head. "Why are you so adamant about me grooming you?"

Lance blushed. "I-I kind of like it."

Keith smiled, showing off his fangs. "You do?"

"Yeah."

"Daddy?"

Both caregivers looked down at the still sleepy little, Keith asking, "Did we wake you, baby?"

"Kinda."

"Sorry about that, sweetie. Papa and I were just talking. You can go back to sleep."

"Or you can take a nap in my arms, sweetheart," Lance offered.

"Papa?" Shiro looked from one caregiver to the other.

"He's offering because he wants groomed," Keith clarified.

"Groomed?"

"Yeah. Daddy licks your hair. It feels nice," Lance answered.

"Can I have?"

Keith blinked. "You want me to groom you, sweetie?"

"Uh-huh."

Keith smiled as he dipped his head down and started grooming his little's hair. Shiro found it slightly strange but enjoyable none the less. It relaxed him so much that it lulled him to sleep.

Lance smiled as he watched the scene. As glad as he was that Keith got to groom Shiro like he wanted, Lance was also a little sad. He was really hoping his boyfriend would groom him. He sighed inaudibly as he slid in behind Keith and buried his face in the longer strands of his hair. Oh, well. He might be able to negotiate some time alone with his boyfriend and coax him into grooming his hair.

Fin


	112. My Hover Bike (Mama Krolia, Adashi)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro teaches Keith how to drive a hover bike and they learn that Keith's Dad had a hover bike and it's Keith's by birthrite

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is a set of one shots for the Mama Krolia series depicting Keith's adventures on Earth and/or at the Garrison.
> 
> Tags: Mama Krolia, Garrison/Earth Hijinks, Adashi, Hover Bike, Adrenaine Rush

"My Hover Bike"

"Can I?" Keith was in slight awe at the offer.

"If you'd like to. It's pretty easy to operate one."

"I've seen you drive one and always wanted to try it myself."

Shiro smiled. "It figures you'd like it. You like things that can go fast."

"I think I like the adrenaline rush."

"It's a pretty intense high." Shiro grinned. "You wanna try racing?"

Keith's eyes sparkled. "Definitely."

Shiro drove them from the apartment he shared with Adam to the Garrison, where there were hover bikes to rent. Shiro checked one out for the entire day, since it was cheaper and he didn't know how long they were going to be out. He got the keys and led Keith to a blue hover bike. He let Keith climb aboard and handed him the keys.

Keith grinned and started the hover bike. He started out slow, following Shiro, but was soon enough going faster and giving Shiro the race the man had suggested. The pair raced along curves carved in the rock faces, the wind whipping through their hair. Neither Shiro nor Keith could keep the grins off their faces, even as they neared a cliff.

Shiro gunned the engine and drove off the cliff. He leveled out and drove a little further out before turning slightly, expecting to see Keith still on the top of the cliff and looking amazed. What he _didn't_ expect was for Keith to have followed him and do the same exact maneuver, pulling it off perfectly, and yelling out, "Tired already, old timer?"

Shiro grinned again and gunned the engine to catch up with Keith. Keith couldn't explain how he knew where he was going, but he had an instinct to go out into the desert. He knew it was near the Blue Lion's cave, but it wasn't the lion calling him. It was something else. Soon enough, there was an old shack with a gorgeous red and white hover bike sitting beside it. Keith slowed his rental to a coast and stopped near the shack. He recognized the place now. It was his biological dad's old shack!

Shiro slowed to a stop next to Keith. "What is this place?"

"It was my Dad's place before he died."

"Are you the only living relative?"

'No,' Keith thought, thinking of his mother and twin sister, but out loud, he replied, "Yes."

"Then, all of this is yours, including that." Shiro pointed out the hover bike that Keith had already seen.

"Do I leave it here or do we come back to get it?"

"What do you want to do? It's your property now."

Keith paused. It would make visiting the Blue Lion's cave easier if he had a mode of transportation that he could use at will. "I don't have anything from my dad. Could we come back for it later?"

"Of course. Now, do you want to continue racing?"

Keith grinned. "You want a rematch, old timer?"

%%%

When Adam returned home from teaching, he saw an unfamiliar red and white hover bike parked next to Takashi's. He never really liked riding on the hover bike and didn't understand his fiancée's love of it. He supposed it was because he wasn't an adrenaline junkie. He opened the door, wondering who was visiting.

He didn't see any extra shoes by the door or hear any extra voices. In fact, the only voices he heard were the excited voices of his fiancée and the cadet that was living with them. He entered the living room, continuing to search for the owner of the hover bike.

Shiro and Keith were still riding their adrenaline highs when Adam came home. His odd behavior was worrisome, so Shiro asked, "What's the problem, Adam?"

"Whose bike is outside?"

"Oh, that's mine," Keith admitted.

"We found Keith's late father's shack out in the desert and he had this hover bike that was still in working order. So, since it is Keith's now, we brought it back," Shiro added.

Adam shook his head at the duo. Of course the cadet liked riding hover bikes. He swore Keith and Shiro were cut from the same cloth. One was bad enough, but now he had to deal with two of them. "As long as I don't have to ride it."

Shiro and Keith watched as Adam set up his lap top on the table and started working on his lesson plans. Keith leaned over and whispered to Shiro, "What does he mean?"

"Adam doesn't like riding hover bikes."

"Adam can hear you," Adam stated without looking away from his lap top, causing Shiro and Keith to chuckle.

Fin


	113. All Of Ours (Mama Lions)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith's kamikaze stunt during the battle of Naxzela didn't go unnoticed by the lions, and they took offense to it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Mama Lions and takes place after the events of "A New Defender" (Season 4 Episode 6).
> 
> Tags: Mama Lions, Season 4 Episode 6, Kamikaze Attempt

"All Of Ours"

Keith was sitting in the damaged Galra fighter, still shaken about what he had been prepared to do. He knew he had to face the Paladins and Kolivan, so he took a deep shuddering breath and unlatched the cockpit. The tick his feet hit the floor, a loud roar shook the castle.

"Little one, come here!"

Keith cocked his head. He hadn't heard Black Lion in awhile. Curious as to what she wanted, he let his feet take him to Black Lion's hangar and was surprised that not only was Black Lion standing there but the rest of the lions as well. They all had their particle barriers down, and their eyes were lit up, signifying them being online. Keith stopped short when a yellow tail appeared in front of him. He carefully stepped onto the tail and was lifted into the air, ending up in the middle between all the lions.

He looked around at all the lions. "What's going on?"

"We all know what you tried to do, little one," Black started.

"The question is why," Blue stated.

"I was trying to save millions of lives, including your Paladins."

Red whined. "You're still a Paladin, cub."

Keith looked at Red. "You have Lance. He's a great Paladin."

"So are you," Green said.

"I understand Black and Red being here, but why are you three here?"

"You and I had a connection before I met Lance, and we still have that connection," Blue answered.

"Your sensitivity to quintessence has established a bond to myself and Green," Yellow replied.

"Can we all meet in the bond?" Green asked.

Keith shrugged. "I guess."

Black lowered her tail, allowing Keith to step down. Each of the robot lions laid down around Keith with him laying against Red, who said, "Follow our bond, cub."

Keith nodded and closed his eyes. He followed the bond that he had with Red through the flash. He appeared as his usual seven-year-old self in the space where Lion and Paladin could freely interact. All five lions appeared as their real, fluffy lioness forms and gathered around the little boy. Red gently nudged him over to Black, who was laying down.

"Sit down, little one."

Keith sat down in front of Black, who started grooming his hair. Blue and Yellow curled around each side of him, their tails stroking his back. Green and Red were laying in front of him with Red laying her tail across his lap. Keith heard four out of the five lions purring to him, and it filled him with such a loving feeling, causing him to start purring back to them.

Red nuzzled Keith. "Don't ever risk your life again, cub. You are all of ours, and we will always take care of you."

%%%

Matt went looking for Keith, wanting to talk to him about what he almost did. He passed by the Black Lion's hangar on his way to the regular hangar, but seeing all five lions in there made him pause. Normally, the lions are in their personal hangars, so why were they all crowded in one...and laying down? He didn't know they could lay down. He entered the hangar, wondering what was going on.

Green Lion lifted her head to look at her Paladin's brother. She sensed he was concerned about Keith. She allowed him to see that Keith was actually sleeping against Red.

Matt stopped as he spotted Keith laying against the Red Lion. He knew how tough the last mission was on everyone, especially Keith. Matt decided to let Keith rest, seeing as the Blade had all five lions guarding him, but resolved to talk to him before Keith left to go back to the Blades.

Fin


	114. Afternoon Activities (Mama Krolia)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regris refuses to let his father out of his sight after he returns from his mission. Antok uses this to his advantage and lets his kit start training.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is a one shot for the Mama Krolia series. Regris is 14, Lotor is 13, Ezor is 11, and Acxa and Keith are 8.
> 
> Tags: Mama Krolia, Snippets, Young Regris, Little Lotor, Little Ezor, Little Acxa, Little Keith, Naps, Regris trains

"Afternoon Activities"

Regris was not letting his Dad out of his sight for long during the day. Antok had just gotten back from his mission and couldn't blame his kit. Fortunately, his kit was old enough to start training. Regris followed his Dad into the training hall, unaware of the fact that he was going to join in instead of just watching from the sidelines.

Once everyone was set up, Antok turned to Regris and asked, "Do you want to join them, kit?"

Regris's eyes widened. "Can I, Dad?"

"Yes, kit, as long as you don't train a whole bunch. You can train once a movement and only in the afternoon after resting after lunch."

"I promise."

"Then, go join in." Antok handed his kit a training blade and pushed him towards the floor with his tail. Regris grinned and nuzzled his Dad, purring in delight. The Blades in the training hall smiled as their leaders' eldest kit joined them and made room for him in the front of the group.

%%%

Kolivan was walking around his base, checking on his Blades, who were treated to the sight of the leaders' youngest kit napping in his arms. Keith was sitting on Kolivan's left arm and leaning against his chest, his head nested against his shoulder and one hand gripping Kolivan's braid. Kolivan didn't mind letting Keith nap on him, knowing that the little kit loved being around him. His purr was a dead giveaway.

Kolivan stopped by the communications room, checking on Thace, who had his kit with him. Ezor was laying against his back, sleeping. Kolivan stepped over to his pack member. "How's everyone doing?"

"As far as I see, everyone's okay. Ulaz and Acxa are having a quiet day in the med bay for a change, Taulol is visiting Krolia and Lotor, and Regris is training with Antok."

"Training? But he's only fourteen deca-phoebes old."

"Antok's just letting him train one quintant a movement and only after his post lunch nap."

"That's good. I just hope this kit doesn't learn what his eldest brother is doing."

Thace chuckled. "You better hope that Regris doesn't tell any of the kits, because you know Keith will hear about it."

Kolivan smiled and gently nuzzled the still dozing kit. "Keep an eye on our pack, Thace. I should go to my office and do some paperwork."

Thace smiled. "You won't be able to put him down, since he has a good hold on your braid."

"I wouldn't dream about putting him down anyway." Kolivan left the communications room and made his way to his office. He settled in his chair, and the movement disturbed Keith enough to cause him to whimper but not awaken. Kolivan rumbled to Keith to soothe him and let him settle on his lap and still holding onto his braid. He kept rumbling to the little kit, even as he did his reports. The little kit's purr joined his rumble as they spent the afternoon together.

Fin


	115. Spoiling My Boyfriend (Klance, Krolivan, Veracxa)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith meets Lance at the mall, unaware that he wants to buy him clothes. He's not adverse to the idea though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Klance with background Krolivan and Veracxa.
> 
> Tags: Klance, Krolivan, Veracxa, Shopping, Clothes

"Spoiling My Boyfriend"

Keith was leaning against his hover bike, waiting for Lance to join him. His boyfriend had asked if he wanted to spend time with him at the mall. Desperate to get away from the lovey dovey atmosphere at home, Keith agreed. Kolivan had started courting Krolia, after getting Keith's permission (since the first step in the courting process to ask for permission and Keith was Krolia's only family). Keith didn't mind that they were dating, but he was grateful when the other Paladins asked if he wanted to join them in activities (with and without their families). Even the MFEs asked if Keith wanted to join in, though Keith suspected that there was a bet between his team and the MFEs to see who could get Keith to join them more often. He thought it was a pointless bet, since he was dating Lance and couldn't tell him no.

"Keith!"

Keith looked up and smiled, seeing Lance running up to him. "Hey, Lance."

Lance put his hands on his knees, panting and trying to catch his breath. "Sorry to keep you waiting. I had to catch a ride with Veronica. Unfortunately, she was only going halfway. She was strangely going to visit Acxa."

Keith grinned. "What? You didn't know that they were kind of dating?"

"Kind of dating? What does that mean?"

"They are dating but it's not official yet. They are keeping it secret except for a few individuals."

"Fair enough. We did that too."

"Well, it's different, since we were in space, millions of miles from Earth. Now, you said something about spending time together here."

"Yes. I figured we could buy some stuff. It's been too long without new stuff, clothes especially."

"You want to go shopping?"

"I want _you_ to get some clothes. You need better fitting clothes since you had that two year time skip with your mom and Cosmo. Speaking of, where is Cosmo?"

"What? You expected me to bring my space wolf on a date?"

"No, but I know he pops in unannounced."

"I told him to stay home."

"So, you _have_ trained him." Lance offered his hand to Keith, which he accepted. The two started walking into the mall.

"Very funny, Lance."

"I'm just joking with you, cariño." Lance pulled Keith into the nearest clothing store. "Now, what kind of clothes do you want?"

"I'm not partial to one style or another, Lance."

"So, you'd wear anything?"

"Pretty much."

"So, can I pick out clothes for you to try on?"

"I guess."

"Great!" Lance kissed Keith on the lips and led him over to the men's dressing rooms. "Stay here, and I'll get some clothes for you to try on."

Keith blinked at his boyfriend's enthusiasm. He couldn't understand why he was so excited about this. It wasn't much longer before Lance showed up with some denim pants and different color shirts, none of them black. He handed them to Keith and steered him in the direction of the dressing rooms. "Try those on. I will be back with more clothes. However, I want to see everything you try on."

"Okay?" Keith went into one of the dressing rooms and separated the clothes into piles. He took off his shirt and pulled on one of the other shirts before Lance knocked on the door. Keith knew it was Lance because he could see his shoes.

"Let me see, Keith!" Keith unlocked the door and let Lance in. Lance set down more clothes and closed the door behind him. "Keep going."

Keith tried on shirt after shirt, Lance deciding which colors looked best on him. Not surprisingly, red and purple looked good on him, but so did blue and white. Keith also tried on the blue jeans and khaki pants he had pulled off the racks. Lance liked the way the jeans looked but not the khaki pants. Keith looked at the new clothes Lance had brought and paused. There were some simple dresses along with a more formal one. "Uh, Lance?"

"Humor me, cariño. Please."

Keith shrugged and did as Lance requested. He was surprised how comfortable the simple dresses were. He looked at the fancy dress. "How do I put this on?"

Lance smiled. "Let me help you."

Together, Lance and Keith managed to put the red dress with spaghetti straps. It had a deep V neckline and a skirt that flowed out from the waist to the floor. Lance smiled as he checked out his boyfriend in the fancy dress. He knew he had been taking a gamble picking out dresses, but it had paid off, and Keith looked amazing.

Lance picked up all the clothes Keith looked good in while Keith changed back into his usual clothes. He also grabbed up the fancy dress and tugged Keith up to the register. The Cuban didn't even blink at the total and used his Garrison issued card to pay for it.

Keith couldn't understand why Lance paid for the clothes. He could've paid for it himself, so he asked, "Why did you pay for my clothes?"

"Because I wanted to spoil my boyfriend."

Keith blushed. He wasn't used to someone wanting to buy things for him. He looked at all the bags containing the clothes Lance bought for him and couldn't help but smile. He could get used to this.

Fin


	116. Beach Vacation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Calvin brings Keith to the beach for a vacation, where Keith makes a new friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is pre-canon.
> 
> Tags: Pre-canon, Kid Keith, Kid Lance, Sad ending

"Beach Vacation"

"Hurry up, Pops!"

"Hold your horses, son. The beach ain't going nowhere." Calvin laughed.

His son, Keith, was so excited to be going to the beach, especially since it was summer break. Keith had had such a hard year with the emergence of a bully by the name of James Griffin. No matter how it was handled (parent-teach conferences or fights between Keith and James), nothing seemed to make a difference. He advised Keith to ignore him, but James seemed to go out of his way to get under his son's skin, so Calvin decided to take Keith on a vacation to the beach. He just hoped it would help keep his mind off the previous school year.

%%%

Lance grinned. He was excited to be at the beach while visiting his cousins in the states. He knew the beaches on the west coast of the country were pretty, but nothing beat Cuba's beaches. He ran down to the water's edge, not even slowing when he entered the water. The cold water lapped at his ankles, but Lance wasn't even fazed. He had spent most of his life at the beach and knew how the ocean was.

He was waist high in the water before a dark haired boy caught his attention. He was timidly entering the water like he was afraid it would hurt him. He also saw an older man, likely the boy's father, standing on the beach close enough to the water if his son fell but far enough away to not be hit by the tiny waves that reached the beach. Lance waded a little further in so he could interact with the other boy. "Hi!"

%%%

"Hi!"

Keith looked up as he carefully made his way deeper into the water. There was a grinning brunette boy standing a little further than he was. "Hi."

"I'm Lance."

"I'm Keith."

"Do you want to swim with me?"

Keith looked back at his Dad, who nodded, before turning to his new friend. "Sure."

"Come on, Keith. We gotta go deeper if we want to truly swim!" Lance grabbed Keith's wrist and gently tugged the other boy deeper in the water. Keith couldn't help but grin as Lance's enthusiasm was infectious.

%%%

Calvin watched as his son played and raced against his new friend. This vacation was definitely a good idea, especially since it seemed to take Keith's mind off the fact that he would have to go back to attending the same school as his tormentor once summer was over. For now, Calvin vowed to bring Keith to this beach as often as he could during the summer.

Unfortunately, those plans were reduced to ash when a fire consumed not only the Kogane house but Keith's dad as well. Keith was sent to an orphanage and had a temporary yet horrid stint in foster care. No one seemed to want to take care of a still grieving hot-headed older kid, not when there were happy younger kids and babies to choose from. Being passed over caused Keith to close himself off from everyone else, almost believing it when he was labeled a discipline case. All thoughts of a happy vacation at the beach were buried and seemed like a lifetime ago, memories of a grinning brunette almost lost.

Fin


	117. Adam's Two Disasters (Adashi, DoM) *

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam gets reacquainted with two people he thought he would never see again and learned a few new things about them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, Antok, and Regris survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith, Acxa, and Regris their kits. Krolia is here as Keith's mom and pack member. Acxa is here as Keith's twin and pack member. Adam also lived, and this is Adashi. This was a collaboration with KitCat1995 and Shelly_Haddock_Skyssa.
> 
> Tags: Adashi, DoM, Family Dynamics, Strong Language, Collaboration 
> 
> Warning! There is strong language but it is written in symbols. If you turn your head, you should be able to figure out what word it is.

"Adam's Two Disasters"

Adam groaned. The last thing he remembered was hitting the hard Earth, but did that mean he was dead? If he was, why was he in pain? He always thought death was painless, and where was everyone? He also thought that his deceased loved ones would be there to greet him. Where were his parents...and Takashi? He and his fiancée had had a huge fight before he left on that fateful mission to Kerberos, but he still loved him. He had watched as he boarded the ship that took him from him.

"Adam?"

Adam opened his eyes, a white ceiling coming into focus. He wasn't dead. Someone had found him and took him to a hospital.

"Adam?"

He turned his head in the direction of the voice calling him. His eyes landed on a familiar face with a few deliberate errors that made him question whether he was dead or not again, because Takashi was dead, right?

"T-Takashi?"

"It's me, Adam. I'm not dead, and neither are you." Shiro scooted his chair closer to Adam's hospital bed and leaned over, placing his forehead against Adam's. "I missed you."

"You @$$hole." Tears collected in Adam's eyes. "You left me, left Keith to go gallivanting among the stars and fighting in an intergalactic war."

"I'm sorry. I'll understand if you don't want to see me again."

Adam reached out and grabbed a handful of Shiro's shirt. "If you think I'm letting you go again, you are crazy."

"Well, that's a relief."

Adam and Shiro looked at the doorway to Adam's room, where Keith seated in a wheelchair was being wheeled in by Matt Holt. Adam stared at the man in the wheelchair. While there was a marked difference from the angry young cadet that he had helped raise, Adam could still see it, especially in the grin on his face. "Keith?"

"Yeah. It's me, Adam."

Adam narrowed his eyes. "You need to be grounded for running away from the Garrison, being shot into space, fighting in an intergalactic war, and becoming a space ninja."

Matt piped up, "And trying to go kamikaze on an enemy ship, which wouldn't have worked anyway."

Shiro's eyes widened, and he exclaimed, "Wait. What?!"

Keith groaned. "D@mn it, Matt."

"Also getting a dog without my or Takashi's permission," Adam continued.

Cosmo appeared and rubbed his head against Keith's leg before hopping up on the bed. He stared at Adam, sniffing him. He turned to Keith, barked happily, and licked Adam's face. Adam grinned and said, "Okay, he can stay." He sighed. "At least none of you died out there."

Shiro rubbed the back of his neck and laughed nervously. "Yeah, about that."

Keith thought, 'Payback' and spoke up, "Actually, do you know why Shiro's hair is white now? This is actually a clone body. His soul had been transferred into it after he died in a battle that didn't even matter in the long run."

Adam.exe had stopped working for a moment, before he threw a vase of flowers at Shiro (who caught it). "What the £μ(|<, Takashi?!"

Keith looked at Matt. "My work here is done. We can go now."

The vase which had been placed back on the side table clipped Keith's shoulder. "We haven't finished our talk, young man."

Matt was too busy rolling on the floor laughing to wheel Keith back to his room. Keith whistled for Cosmo, but the wolf was laid out at the foot of Adam's bed snoozing. "Thanks for nothing, you useless Space Wolf."

Matt regained enough breath to add, "Keith's mom chewed him out for a lot of it though."

Adam exclaimed in shock, "His mom!?!"

"Yeah, this hot Galra babe."

"Watch your tongue, Holt." Keith elbowed Matt sharply in the ribs.

"Wait...Galra?!...That actually explains a lot of things," Adam mused. 

Keith sweat dropped. "Well, glad to see you alive, Adam. I need to get back to my room before my pack come find me."

"Your pack?"

"Yeah, Galra have packs. There are seven members of my pack, not counting me. Kolivan and Antok are the leaders of the Blades, Ulaz is the lead medic, Thace and Regris are our communications specialists, Krolia is my mom and a covert ops specialist, and Acxa is my twin."

"Soooo...I have to take care of this Acxa too? I definitely have to...if she's anything like you."

"Hey!"

Fin


	118. Lion Plushies (Age Regression)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance makes lion plushies for the only two people who are little, even if one is a switch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is age regression with Little Shiro, Switch Keith, Daddy Lance, and Caregiver Hunk.
> 
> Tags: Age Regression, Little Shiro, Switch Keith, Daddy Lance, Caregiver Hunk, Lion Plushies

"Lion Plushies"

Keith and Shiro were sitting on the floor of the lounge playing with a soft rubber ball as their two caregivers were watching. At first, it was only Shiro who had regressed while everyone was in the lounge, but Keith had been known to regress if Shiro had. He fortunately hadn't regressed really little and was able to play with him. Keith was around two-years-old while Shiro was just slightly younger at eighteen-months-old. Both littles were in diapers, and while Shiro was in a sleeper, Keith was wearing a t-shirt and a pair of shorts.

Lance had been the one to take care of Keith when he regressed while Hunk distracted Shiro until Lance brought Keith back with a rubber ball. What the littles didn't realize at the moment was that Lance had a surprise for them when they were ready for their nap. He had made them stuffed versions of their lions. He knew it had been a gamble to bring the Red Lion plushie along since Keith may not have regressed, but it had been worth it.

Hunk kept on eye on both littles as they rolled the ball back and forth, giggling every so often. If the ball rolled too far away, he would nudge it back within their range. Keith would always say "thank you" when it happened. When Keith first regressed, everyone was surprised at how well he spoke, but it turned out it was due to his Galran heritage. Shiro tried to copy the other (current) little but could only say, "Fank you."

Hunk gently patted both littles on their heads, depending on which one spoke. "You're welcome, sweetie."

It wasn't too much longer before Keith started yawning, causing Shiro to yawn. Lance grinned. "Aww, are a couple of someones sleepy?"

Keith rubbed his eyes and looked at Lance. "Daddy, up?"

Lance smiled and scooped up his little, which prompted Hunk to scoop up the other little. The two caregivers settled back on the couch with their littles on their laps. Lance carefully brought out the two plushies he made, handing the Black Lion one to Hunk, so he could give it to Shiro. Lance handed the Red Lion to Keith, who squealed and cuddled the lion plushie. "Thank you, Daddy."

Lance kissed the top of Keith's head. "You're welcome, cariño. Now, get some rest. Daddy and Red are here to watch over you."

Shiro's eyes had been halfway closed when he heard Keith squeal. He opened them, only to see his caregiver holding a plush Black Lion. He looked up, confused. "Hunky?"

"Lance made this plushie for you, sweetie. Now, Black Lion can watch over you while you nap no matter where you are."

"Fank you," Shiro sleepily slurred as he cuddled the lion, falling asleep ensconced in his caregiver's arms. Lance and Hunk knew their littles were asleep by the soft snores coming from Shiro and the quiet purrs coming from Keith. Apparently, bringing the lion plushies was a very good idea as it allowed the littles to fall asleep relatively easily, which didn't always happen.

Fin


	119. A Little Play Time (Age Regression)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith and Lance were supposed to be working on their hand-to-hand combat, but their focus wasn't there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is age regression with Little Keith, Little Lance, and Daddy Shiro.
> 
> Tags: Age Regression, Little Keith, Little Lance, Daddy Shiro, Play Fight

"A Little Play Time"

Keith and Lance were on the training deck doing hand-to-hand combat, which actually devolved into play fighting, but Shiro didn't mind; however, Allura did.

"Focus, Paladins! Stop playing around!" she ordered over the intercom.

Keith and Lance sprang apart at her orders. Keith spared a quick glance at the observation deck before he went back to the hand-to-hand combat. It didn't take much longer before it devolved into a play fight again.

Shiro could tell Allura was getting irritated, so he suggested, "Princess, you've been at this long enough. Why don't you take a break, and I'll deal with them?"

Allura was a little skeptical but did as Shiro suggested. "All right. I don't know what's going on with Keith. He usually doesn't lack focus, so it's worrying."

Allura left the observation deck, not attracting the attention of the Red and Blue Paladins. Shiro sighed and descended onto the main floor of the training deck. His appearance did cause them to stop. They looked at him and chorused, "Daddy!"

Shiro paused. Well, that explained why they were play fighting instead of sparring. He smiled and scooped up the littles. Keith nuzzled Shiro's head, while Lance snuggled against his shoulder. He gently bounced them. "Did you two have fun playing with each other?"

"Uh-huh. Keithy is so much fun!"

"So is Lancey."

That told Shiro that they were in the three-/four-year-old range and not in a younger head space. It gave Shiro a few options on what he could do to occupy them. First, though, he had to get them dressed in appropriate clothes and pull-ups, just in case of accidents.

"Let's go to your rooms and get changed, and then we can go back to the training deck, and you two can go back to playing."

"Yay!" the two chorused. Shiro smiled. His two littles liked speaking at the same time, which was such a departure from when they weren't little.

Shiro carried them to Lance's room, where he let the little change his clothes by himself. It was something Lance liked doing. Shiro carried Keith to his room and pulled out the clothes Keith needed to wear. The little had no problem putting on the clothes, but he liked having Shiro pick out what he would wear.

Once both littles were changed, Shiro scooped them back up and carried them back to the training deck. He set up soft mats for them to tumble around on. "There you go, my sweethearts. Have fun."

"Thanks, Daddy!" they chorused. Shiro leaned against the wall on the sidelines, keeping an eye on his littles in order to make sure they didn't get hurt. He didn't think they would, but he wanted to make sure they remained safe. It was one of his jobs as their Daddy, and it was one he took seriously.

Fin


	120. Disturbed Dreams (DoM)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith has a nightmare where Regris died (a la canon). He wakes up in the nest among his pack including Regris.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, Antok, and Regris survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. This starts with the events as they occured in "Code of Honor."
> 
> Tags: DoM, AU, Nightmare, Botched Mission, Comfort

"Disturbed Dreams"

Keith, Kolivan, and Regris infiltrated the ship, which was strangely empty. The three of them made their way to the bridge. While Keith planted the tracker, Regris checked the logs. Suddenly, the door slammed shut and locked.

"I'm locked out of the system," Regris said.

"It's rigged to blow!" Keith exclaimed.

"The ship's a decoy! Everyone out!" Kolivan declared.

Keith and Kolivan used their blades to force the door open.

"Attempting to override," Regris stated, but the door was forced open.

"There's not enough time! Come on!" Keith urged.

"Just a few more ticks." Regris was adamant.

Keith darted forward to grab Regris, but Kolivan caught him and ran. "Regris, no!"

The ship exploded with Regris still on it.

%%%

Keith awoke with a whine. He panted, trying to draw in enough oxygen. His eyes landed on the other five members of his pack, asleep around the nest. More importantly, Regris was asleep curled around him with his tail wrapped around his leg. Keith sighed in relief. It was just a nightmare. Regris didn't get blown up. He whimpered and snuggled against Regris, burying his face in his chest.

He felt clawed hands rubbing his back. "What's the matter, kit?"

It was Kolivan. The leader of the Blades had noticed that Keith was whimpering and wanted to comfort him.

"I had a nightmare, where Regris died, and we let it happen."

Kolivan was stunned. Letting kits die on a mission was one of the worst things that could happen on a mission. He bent down and nuzzled Keith's neck. "Of course that didn't happen, kit. Your brother is right there in front of you."

"I know, Kolivan. It just seemed so real."

"I know, kit. I know."

There was a pause before Keith asked, "Is there anyway I can spend all quintant tomorrow with him?"

"Of course, if that's what you want, kit. You and your brother can spend time in the nest room or play fighting in training hall B."

Keith relaxed slightly. That helped calm him down. He closed his eyes and started to fall back asleep. However, Kolivan noticed that, even though Keith was sleeping, he wasn't purring. Apparently, the kit's nightmare disturbed him greatly. It was nice that the kit asked for the next quintant off. It showed him that Keith was slowly getting used to being taken care of by the pack, and Kolivan was pleased.

Fin


	121. Approval (DoM, Antolivan, Thulaz, Team as Family, Broganes)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A sequel to Volume 2 Chapter 32 where the Paladins get to see Keith's new Galran features.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, Antok, and Regris survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith, Acxa, and Regris their kits. Krolia is here as Keith's mom and pack member. Acxa is here as Keith's older sister and pack member. This is Broganes, Thulaz, and Antolivan and a sequel to Volume 2 Chapter 32 "Xenobiology."
> 
> Tags: DoM, Broganes, Thulaz, Antolivan, Team as Family, Sequel, Galra Keith

"Approval"

Keith was happy with his Galran features. He always wanted to look like his pack, and now he did. Keith wanted to visit the Paladins, but he knew he couldn't just drop by with his new looks. He decided to do a video call with a few members of his pack with him. Kolivan was unable to join him as he had a small squad of Blades that needed reprimanded for glaring at him during The Gathering two quintants ago. However, his mom, sister, brother, and Ulaz agreed to stay with Keith during his call.

Keith sat in the chair and connected with a secure, private communique with the Castle of Lions. Coran appeared on the screen. The older Altean squinted at Keith before his eyes widened. "Keith! My stars! Your Galran features finally came in. You look good, my boy."

Keith couldn't help but purr at the man he considered an uncle. "I had Ulaz stimulate them so they would show up early, but I'm extremely happy with them."

"That's wonderful, lad. Do you want me to get the others?"

"Yes please. All five of them if you don't mind."

"Not at all, Number Four. Mute your channel. I'm sounding the alarm."

Keith nodded and pushed the mute button. He held a thumbs up, letting Coran know it was safe to do so. Krolia stroked Keith's hair. "I like this fellow. He has a lot of respect for Galra, even making note of our exceptional hearing."

Keith smiled. "Coran never blamed me or treated me different when we first learned of my heritage."

Keith noticed the rest of the Paladins (including Allura) had arrived and Coran had turned off the alarm, so he unmuted the channel in time to hear Lance complain, "Why did you test the alarm system? I was just about to beat Shiro in combat!"

Keith snickered. "I doubt you could actually beat Shiro in anything, Sharpshooter."

"Keep your Mullet out of this, Samurai-whoa!" Lance finally looked up at the view screen and noticed that Keith looked more Galran than the last time he saw him.

"Look! It's Galra Keith!" Hunk exclaimed in excitement.

Keith laid a hand on Acxa's arm when he saw his sister bristle at Hunk's comment. "He doesn't mean anything by the comment. Hunk isn't capable of being mean."

Shiro took a good look at the man he considered a younger brother. He had violet cheek stripes; a patch of violet purple fur on the right side of his neck and a few on his arms, legs, back, and chest (judging by the loose shirt he was wearing); fluffy, purple ears; a long, thin, purple tail; and sharp fangs, but he was still Keith. Shiro smiled. "Are you coming for a visit, ototo?"

Keith perked up at the nickname. "I'd like to, ni-san, if it's okay with everyone."

"Yeah, get your purple @$$ over here."

"Pidge, language!" Shiro admonished.

"English," she sassed back.

Keith laughed before he turned to look at Allura, the one being whose opinion he was most worried about. To his immense relief, she was smiling. "Your room is ready for you whenever you like, Keith. I've told you before. I consider you Paladins my family. I stand by my comment. You are like a brother to me, Keith. Please come by."

Keith purred at the acceptance. "Can some of my pack come with me?"

"Of course. I'll even get some more blankets and pillows so you lot can build a proper nest!" Coran exclaimed.

"Please put them in the lounge. My room isn't large enough to build a nest large enough for everyone."

"Everyone?" Lance asked.

"I want the team to be in the nest as well, and that includes the two resident Alteans. I want to spend time with my family and pack together," Keith answered somewhat shyly.

"Aww! Of course, buddy," Hunk replied. "I know I'd love to spend time with you."

Keith smiled again. "See you guys soon."

"Wait, Keith. Let me open a wormhole, so it won't take long for you to get here," Allura offered.

"Are you sure, princess?"

"Yes."

"In that case, give us ten doboshes to pack and exit the base," Krolia stated before closing the channel. "Now, back to the nest room, kits. We must hurry."

Keith and his siblings rushed out of the communications room, leaving Ulaz and Krolia to follow the kits, the former sending a message to the rest of the pack asking who was going to join Keith on the castle ship. Thace agreed to come, but Kolivan was still reprimanding the small squad of Blades, and Antok wanted to stay with his mate. Keith didn't blame Antok for wanting to stay with Kolivan; he knew mates couldn't be separated for long.

It didn't take long for the majority of the pack to collect the clothes they wanted to take with them or to board the pod. Truthfully the longest part of it was piloting the pod through the passage between the sun and the black holes. The tick they entered normal space, a wormhole opened for them. The Marmoran pod flew through the wormhole and was allowed to land in the general hangar at the castle.

The tick the pod powered down and the door opened, Keith raced down the ramp and tackled the Paladins, Shiro managing to keep his footing and allowing the others to not hit the floor. Keith nuzzled everyone, purring loudly.

Krolia led the four other members of the pack out of the Marmora pod with a smile on her face. Her youngest kit was so happy, and she was glad that they didn't shun him based on his looks. She stroked his hair as she passed. Keith chirped. "Mom?"

"It's okay, kit. We're going to the lounge to set up the nest. You and your team can join us whenever you're ready."

Keith smiled. "All right." He turned back to his team. "Do you want to go to the lounge?"

"We can do that," Shiro said.

The entire team went to the lounge, where there was a huge nest with the Blades in it. Keith stepped in and tugged Shiro with him. He laid down next to Krolia and pulled Shiro down with him. Regris and Acxa were on Krolia's other side with Thace and Ulaz on their other side. Lance laid down against Keith's legs. Allura settled down next to Shiro with Coran behind her. Hunk and Pidge were settled in front of Thace and Ulaz.

Keith continued purring as he enjoyed being surrounded by his team and most of his pack, especially since everyone was so accepting of the Galran features he had always wanted and finally got.

Fin


	122. Heat (Shklance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Keith disappears from their room, his Alphas become worried and search for their Omega.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Shklance with Alpha Shiro, Alpha Lance, and Omega Keith.
> 
> Tags: Shklance, Alpha Shiro, Alpha Lance, Omega Keith, A/O Dynamics, Heat, Worried Alphas, Mating

"Heat"

"Shiro? Where's Keith? He's not in our room!"

"He's not?! I left him asleep in there not an hour ago!"

"He's almost in heat! He's not allowed out!"

Shiro thought quickly. He grabbed the other Alpha's arm. "He's probably on the training deck."

Both Alphas started running to the training deck. The younger of the two was growling at the thought of their Omega out of their room. They skidded into the training deck, but it was empty! The growl died in Lance's throat as panic started to set back in. "Where is he?!"

Shiro sniffed. Keith's scent was very stale. He hadn't been there in a couple of days. "We need to sniff him out. He hasn't disobeyed us by training. His scent is stale."

Lance sniffed too. He agreed with the other Alpha. Their Omega hadn't disobeyed their rule of not training so close to his heat. They left the training deck, sniffing all the while. Keith's scent was fresher in the hall but still relatively stale. The longer it took to find a fresher trail the more frantic Lance got. He was very close with their Omega but was also glad he had the older Alpha at his back.

All of a sudden both males turned their heads, catching a whiff of a fresher trail. Lance inhaled deeply, his mate's smell placating him slightly. Strangely, the trail led them to each of the Paladins' rooms and Allura's room as well. Confused, they checked their room again and, to their surprise, their Omega was lying naked in a nest made of blankets, pillows, and clothes belonging to members of their team. Lance approached the nest carefully. He knelt next to their Omega and let out a small growl. Keith's head shot up, and his violet eyes landed on both of his Alphas, a whine escaping his throat. "Alphas."

"My pretty little Omega," Lance said with a growl.

Shiro drew up next to Lance. He growled at the sight of his Omega naked in the nest he made. "Omega."

"Alphas, please," Keith gasped out. He made grabby hands at them. Without further ado, both Alphas entered the nest. They took off their clothes and added them to the nest, making their mate moan. Shiro and Lance wrapped their mate in their arms and buried their faces in his neck, kneading his scent glands with their teeth. The little gasps escaping the pretty Omega made the Alphas grin. "Please, mark me, my Alphas!"

Shiro took the lead and bit down on the left side of Keith's neck, while Lance joined him a second later, biting the right side. Keith screamed in pleasure. Both Alphas released their Omega, who slumped against them. Shiro growled and nudged the Omega. "You should have told us you needed to make a nest. You freaked out Lance when you disappeared from our room."

Keith looked at Lance as best he could with the younger Alpha still buried in his neck. "I'm sorry, but I didn't have much time before this heat overtook me completely. I needed the materials right then and there."

Lance nuzzled his neck and said, "I understand, but you are our Omega. You need to let us take care of you. Now, we will."

Fin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note 2: Once again, I'm ending it here so the rating doesn't go up. Keith ends up pregnant with twins, one from each Alpha, and it sends the Alphas into an overprotective state.


	123. Hoodie (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith is sick and can't seem to fall asleep, so he grabs an old hoodie of Lance's to wear, hoping the smell of Lance's cologne will help him sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Klance.
> 
> Tags: Klance, Sick Keith, Lance's Hoodie, Keith in Lance's clothes

"Hoodie"

Keith knew he wasn't feeling well during the last battle against the Galra but also knew resting wasn't an option. He suffered in silence but vowed to take an early night and prayed he was able to sleep.

He managed to drag himself to his room and was barely able to change into his Red Paladin pajamas. He fell onto his bed, not caring that he was on top of the covers instead of under them. He couldn't stay asleep long enough to reach REM sleep, so he didn't have any dreams, fevered or not. He groaned softly. He wanted to sleep but couldn't fall into the deep sleep he needed.

He dragged himself out of bed and dug through his closet until he came upon an old, worn hoodie. It was supposed to be a soft blue, but it was so faded that it looked more gray than blue. It was also slightly big on Keith as it was actually an old hoodie of Lance's. Keith had taken it when they were still on Earth (before they launched in the Blue Lion) and had never gotten around to returning it. Keith was glad he never did, because it was going to help him. When he and Lance were on separate missions, Keith would wear the hoodie when he slept, and it would help him not miss his boyfriend as much. He slipped it on over his pajamas and slid under the covers of his bed. He closed his eyes and inhaled the comforting scent of Lance's cologne, which clung to the fabric, even after all this time.

%%%

Lance entered the dining hall, expecting Keith to be there already. He blinked at the empty room. Did he miss him, and he was already in the lounge or on the training deck? Lance checked the two locations, neither of which had Keith in them. Lance cocked his head. Where _was_ he?

Lance walked to Keith's room, doubtful that his boyfriend was still in there. He knocked. "Keith?"

Coughing from inside the room worried Lance so much that he opened the door. He saw his boyfriend laying in bed, wearing a gray hoodie over his pajamas. Lance stopped. The hoodie looked familiar and from its bagginess, he had to guess it was one of his.

Regardless of the fact that Keith looked adorable in his clothes, Lance realized that his boyfriend was sick. He hurried over to his side and pushed the hood down so he could stroke his hair. "Keith?"

Keith opened his eyes halfway. They were fever bright. "Lance?"

"I'm here, cariño." Lance felt his boyfriend's forehead with the back of his left hand, withdrawing it rather quickly. "Oh, Keith. You have a pretty high fever. You're staying right here."

"But what if there's an attack? Without Red, there's no Voltron." Keith's words were slightly slurred.

"You can't pilot in your condition, Keith," Lance insisted. "It'd be too dangerous. Just rest, Keith. You need to to get better."

Keith's eyes drifted closed of their own accord, letting the ill Paladin get the rest he so desperately deserved.

%%%

A few vargas later, Keith opened his eyes, pleased to see Lance was laying next to him, awake. "Hey, cariño. Are you feeling any better?"

"A little, but not much, but your hoodie helps."

"Why do you have it? Not that I mind. You look adorable in it." Lance drew Keith into his arms.

Keith blushed. "Thanks. I like it."

"I figured that."

"Do you want it back?"

"No. I like seeing you in it." Lance kissed Keith's hair. "Get some rest. I've got you."

Keith closed his eyes. He could definitely get some sleep with his boyfriend holding him while he wore his boyfriend's hoodie.

Fin


	124. Overprotective Mates (Shklance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sequel to "Heat," where Keith ends up pregnant with twins, one from each Alpha, and it sends the Alphas into an overprotective state.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This sequel to Volume Four Chapter 122 "Heat" is Shklance with Alpha Shiro, Alpha Lance, and Omega Keith. This is also Beta Pidge.
> 
> Tags: Shklance, Alpha Shiro, Alpha Lance, Omega Keith, Pregnant Keith, Beta Pidge, Overprotective, Sequel

"Overprotective Mates"

Keith was still in their room. He didn't dare leave with Shiro and Lance checking in at random intervals. He stayed in his nest, completely naked. His mates had gone into over protective mode when they realized that Keith was indeed pregnant. They allowed him to talk to Red about letting Lance pilot her, which thankfully the lion agreed to (especially once she found out that her Paladin was expecting). After that, the two Alphas ushered their mate back to their room, where they stripped him of his clothes and told him that he needed to stay safe. He retreated into his nest and dozed on and off all day. There was food and drink that was brought in by one of his Alphas. When Lance was the one checking on Keith, he stayed and cuddled with his mate. When it was Shiro, he pulled his mate into his lap and wrapped his arms around him.

The others wanted to see Keith, but having an Alpha growl at them scared them. Shiro was one thing, but to see the goofy Blue Paladin growl at Pidge was frightening. The small Beta stood her ground. "I only wanted to give Keith-"

Another growl followed by a snarl cut her off. From inside the room, he heard, "Alphaaaaaa."

Lance perked up and retreated into his room. He saw his Omega frowning at him from his nest, clad in only boxer shorts. "My pretty little Omega, why are you frowning?"

"Because you and Shiro are scaring away our friends. I know you two are being protective over me and our pups, but our friends do not intend to harm us." Keith placed his hands on Lance's arm. "Please, Alpha. Let them visit."

Lance relented, unable to deny his mate something so simple. He threw a black T-shirt to him. "Put that on and stay in your nest, Omega."

Keith purred to his Alpha and put the shirt on. It was big on him. Clearly, it was one of Shiro's shirts. His Alphas had been doing that lately. When he was allowed clothes, it had to be at least one article of clothing from each Alpha. The boxers he was currently wearing were Lance's.

Once Lance was satisfied with the safety of his Omega (being covered in his and Shiro's scents helped immensely), Pidge was allowed to enter. Lance remained outside, fighting against his instincts to grab Pidge and throw her out of his mate's sanctuary.

Pidge nervously approached what was clearly a nest on the large bed. Keith looked at her. "It's okay, Pidge. You can come closer, just don't touch the nest."

"I just wanted to give these books to you. I thought you might be going crazy in here with those two lunatics not letting you out."

Keith smiled. "Go ahead and put them on the desk. I appreciate you stopping by. My mates are being a little too over protective, but it is in their nature."

Pidge peered at him over her glasses. "I see you are wearing their clothes."

"It's the only way they will let me have any clothes on at all. I think they just like seeing their marks uncovered."

The Beta noticed the two nearly identical marks on each side of Keith's neck. It clearly screamed that he was claimed. "Why are they being so over protective?"

Keith looked a little distressed. "They didn't tell anyone?" At Pidge's head shake, he continued, "I'm pregnant."

"Ah. Now their behavior makes sense. I'm going to take my leave now. Can I tell the others?"

"Yes. Please do, and please send my two knuckleheads in."

"Roger that." Pidge left.

Not two minutes later, both Alphas entered their room, sniffing the air. Keith's distress was still evident in the air as was Pidge's scent. Shiro started growling at the thought of Pidge causing his mate distress. Keith whined, snapping Shiro's attention back to him. "You two forgot to tell everyone else why I am confined in here. You forgot to tell them I'm pregnant."

Both Alphas' eyes strayed to their mate's still flat stomach. They couldn't wait until he started showing. He would then be shown off, hanging off of both of their arms. Keith could tell their minds were not on what he was saying. He whined again. "Alphaaaaaaaaaaaas."

This snapped both Alphas' attention back to the Omega. Lance and Shiro crawled into their mate's nest and put their arms around him. Lance crooned to him. "We're sorry. We were so preoccupied with protecting you that we forgot to tell everyone else. We will tell them soon. Right now, we want to spend time with our pretty little Omega."

Keith purred to his mates. He couldn't stay mad at them. They were very devoted to him. He knew they would flaunt his status once he was showing. They would want everyone on the ship to know how strong their claim on Keith was. A pregnant Omega complete with mating marks was a sign of a strong claim, especially to other Alphas.

Fin


	125. One Big Happy Family (Sheith, DoM, Team As Family, Mama Black Lion, Mama Red Lion)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith visits Black Lion, hoping to be able to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Sheith with a pregnant Galra Keith and Mama Black Lion with mentioning of Mama Red Lion, the Dads of Marmora, Mama Krolia, and the Voltron team as family.
> 
> Tags: Sheith, DoM, Team As Family, Mama Black Lion, Mama Red Lion, Pregnant Keith, Galra Keith, Mama Krolia

"One Big Happy Family"

Keith carefully made his way to the Black Lion's hangar. He smiled when she crouched and opened her mouth, allowing him entrance. He gingerly made his way to the cockpit seat, somewhere he hadn't been in awhile.

"How are you feeling, little one?"

Keith yawned. "I'm okay, Black. Mostly tired."

Black chuckled. "I can imagine. He's not making it easy on you, is he?"

Keith rubbed his belly. "No. He's sitting really low."

"That's a good thing, right?"

"Yeah. It means that I'm near the end of my pregnancy."

"How does Shiro feel about it?"

Keith laughed. "He's going crazy. He's trying to make sure the baby and I have everything we want." He laughed again. "This baby isn't going to want for anything, between Shiro and my pack. He has such a huge family, but I don't know who's more excited, Shiro or my mom."

"I doubt they are more excited than you."

"True. I never thought I'd be a father...or mother. Mom told me that the being that carries the baby is considered the mother." Keith yawned.

"Are you tired, little one?"

"Yeah. Can I sleep here?"

"Only if you're comfortable."

"Yeah. If Shiro comes looking for me, let him in."

Black lowered her interior lights, put up her particle barrier, and started softly purring to her secondary Paladin. Keith's eyes drifted closed, and he started purring in response.

%%%

Shiro entered the room he shared with Keith and was surprised that it was empty. Keith had said he was going to go lay down, because he was tired. Where was he?

Suddenly, Shiro felt a nudge in the back of his mind where his bond with Black was. Shiro pushed back, letting his lion know he was concerned about Keith. She purred to him and showed him a picture of Keith sleeping in the pilot's seat. Once Shiro calmed down, Black urged him to come down to the hangar.

Shiro grabbed a couple of blankets and headed down to the hangar. Upon seeing him, Black lowered her particle barrier and crouched down, letting him walk up the ramp in her mouth. He entered the cockpit and smiled at the sight of his boyfriend sleeping in the pilot's seat. He was glad Keith was sleeping and hoped he'd be able to get a good amount of sleep. He covered him with one of the blankets he brought. His eyes widened slightly when he saw fluffy ears nestled in Keith's hair, twitching slightly.

He knew Keith had Galra features that showed up every so often, especially in his sleep. How long they stayed depended on Keith's pregnancy. The longer Keith was pregnant, the longer the features stayed. The most common features were purple fluffy ears and violet cheek stripes.

Shiro was also glad that they had the support of not only the entire team and the Alteans, but the Blade of Marmora as well. Shiro figured that would be the case anyway. He had seen how the Blades treated Keith. The four (five if you counted Krolia) highest ranking Blades accepted Keith into their pack and treated him like family. It warmed Shiro's heart that Keith finally had a large family, especially after the tragic childhood he had had.

Then, there were the lions, Red and Black specifically. Red still considered Keith her cub but understood that sometimes Keith wanted to spend time with Black. He was capable of flying either lion, when he wasn't expecting. When they learned of his condition, neither lion would let him fly. They weren't going to let him endanger their grandcub. Shiro chuckled when he heard that. First the Blades were calling the baby their grandkit, and now, the lions were calling him their grandcub.

"S'iro?"

Keith's sleepy voice drew Shiro from his thoughts. He looked down at his boyfriend, whose eyes were still half-lidded. "Shh, koibito. Rest."

Keith lifted his arms. "Wanna sleep in your arms."

"I don't know if we'll both fit in the pilot's seat." The tick Shiro said that, both Paladins heard Black scoff before the seat widened and reclined a bit. Shiro blinked in surprise. He grinned before he gently scooped up his expectant boyfriend and sat in the reclined seat, letting Keith settle himself on his lap. He laid on his side, cuddled up against him as best he could. He sighed as he closed his eyes again, purring when he felt Shiro drape the blanket over the both of them. He truly couldn't wait for their baby to arrive, but for now, he was going to get as much rest as he could.

Fin


	126. Chocolate (Sheith)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fem Keith is lured into the kitchen by the smell of chocolate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is fem Keith and could be considered a sequel to Volume One Chapter 190 "Fem Keith." This takes place when the Paladins are living on the castle ship and is Sheith.
> 
> Tags: Sheith, Fem Keith, Chocolate, Keith and Katie are close friends, Hunk is a good baker, Let Lance have some chocolate, Sequel

"Chocolate"

Keith was headed to the training deck when a delectable scent caught her attention. Predictably it came from the kitchen. Fortunately, it was Hunk in the kitchen and not Coran. She sniffed the air as Hunk took out a tray of...brownies! She waited until he closed the oven and set the tray down before she said anything. "Are those brownies?"

Hunk jumped in surprise before he turned around to see the Red Paladin standing there sans jacket with her hair in a ponytail and her head cocked. He smiled. "Yup. I made brownies and chocolate candies."

Keith crept closer, her fingers itching to get a taste. She usually avoided the kitchen so she wouldn't get tempted to taste between meals. Hunk noticed what Keith was trying to avoid. He smiled, cut out a piece of the brownies, set it on a plate, and nudged it in her direction. Her eyes flicked from the offered brownie to the chef in question. Hunk nodded. "Go ahead. Let me know how it tastes."

Keith gingerly broke off a piece and popped it into her mouth. It tasted like heaven. As she chewed, the taste also reminded her of the brownies Shiro would bring her back at the Garrison. "These are amazing. They taste like the ones I would get at the Garrison. Takashi would always bring me brownies and chocolate once a month."

"Wait. You were dating Shiro back at the Garrison?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"He would come to my dorm once a month for chocolates and brownies."

"Wait. Those were from you?!"

The exclamation brought Shiro into the kitchen with Lance on his heels, having been lured by the smell of chocolate. Shiro immediately drew up to Keith's side and picked up his girlfriend, setting her on a nearby counter. She smiled and leaned against him, her head on top of his. "Takashi, why didn't you tell me that you got the chocolate and brownies from Hunk when we were at the Garrison?"

"I didn't think it was that important."

"Wait. How did you get some of the baked goods Hunk made? He always told me he ran out," Lance inquired.

Keith shrugged. "I don't know. Takashi always got some when I needed it."

"I realized that Shiro would ask for chocolate once a month, so I kept some back for him and his girlfriend. I just didn't know at the time that it was for Keith, not that it matters," Hunk answered.

"You gave her your amazing chocolate instead of your best friend?" Lance sounded slightly hurt.

"Lance, you didn't go without. You just weren't allowed to eat the entire pan," Hunk reminded him before shaking a finger in his direction. "And don't think about trying to eat the entire pan now either. There are two females on this ship that will want chocolate. I aim to provide that for them."

Keith popped another piece of her brownie into her mouth and tried to suppress the moan that left her throat. She swallowed the chocolate. "And I know I speak for Katie when I say we appreciate it."

"And that's another thing," Lance said. "Why do you get to call her Katie when she prefers going by Pidge?"

"I asked her after she revealed her true identity if I could call her Katie, and she didn't have a problem with it. I was introduced to her as Katie by her brother, Matt," Keith replied.

"Yeah. I hated that he forced me to come to that gala in a fancy dress." Pidge entered the kitchen and swiped a brownie. She took a bite as Lance went to grab one. Hunk smacked his hand with the wooden spoon that was in his hand.

"Why do the girls get to have one but I can't?!" Lance cried.

"They are my taste testers for chocolate," Hunk stated. "Besides, I prefer to stay on their good sides. They can be scary during their cycles...especially since they are scary on a good day," Hunk replied.

"Good save. Well, thanks for the brownie. I'm heading for the training deck." Keith attempted to slide off the counter, but Shiro stopped her. "Takashi, let me down."

Shiro simply picked her up off the counter and slung her over his shoulder. "You don't need to go train, Keith."

"Takashi, put me down!"

"Nope."

The Garrison Trio watched as their Black Paladin carried his second-in-command and girlfriend out of the kitchen. Lance tried once again to get a brownie, only to get smacked on the hand again.

"Ow!'

Fin


	127. Not Alone Anymore (Klance, Team As Family)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> During one of the nights Keith can't sleep, he comes across the princess who is reluctant to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Klance with pregnant Keith and the Voltron team as family.
> 
> Tags: Klance, Team as Family, Pregnant Keith, Sad Allura

"Not Alone Anymore"

Keith was walking through the corridors of the castle ship during the night cycle, when most of the other occupants were asleep. He wasn't sure if Pidge was asleep, because he knew the tech genius was neck deep into some mysterious tech she salvaged from an abandoned Galra cruiser the team had investigated. Of course, he wasn't allowed to go with them. Lance wouldn't hear of it. He was expecting, and Lance wouldn't let him endanger the baby.

Keith stepped onto the bridge and was surprised to see Allura sitting in the Blue Paladin seat. She looked up at the entrance and was on her feet in an instant. "Keith! What are you doing up?"

"I couldn't sleep, and walking is supposed to be okay."

"I insist you sit down." Allura was at his side, guiding him towards the Paladin seats.

Keith sighed. He knew better than to argue about it. "Can it be the Red Paladin seat?"

Allura smiled. "Of course.

She led him over to the seat and helped him sink into it. She started carding her fingers through his hair, eliciting a purr from him, which was heard in his voice when he asked, "Why are you awake?"

"I was going through these charts and updating them, since there have been changes in the 10,000 deca-phoebes that Coran and I have been asleep."

"You could do that during the daytime, Princess. Why aren't you asleep?"

"Because someone needs to be awake in case you aren't asleep."

"Nice try, but what's the real reason?"

Allura looked away but continued to comb her fingers through Keith's hair. "I...It's the anniversary of the destruction of my father's AI. I know it's not my father, but it was all I had left."

"I know how you feel, Princess. My father died when I was little, and all I had was his shack and hover bike, which I couldn't even keep until I turned of age." Keith chuckled. "Of course, they couldn't keep me from it when I joined the Garrison. It was as good as enlisting in the military. I was thirteen when my Dad's property came back into my possession."

"And all of that is back on Earth. I've separated you Paladins from your families, and here I am moping about losing an AI."

Keith nuzzled Allura's hand. "You didn't separate us, Allura. Technically, it was Lance and the Blue Lion, but it's okay. Besides, we all have pictures to remember our families by."

Keith withdrew an old photo from one of his hip bags and showed it to Allura. It was obviously a young Keith with his father. Child Keith was riding on his father's shoulders, wearing a cowboy hat and brandishing a very familiar knife. "I didn't know you had your knife back then."

"My father was the one who carried it until he died. He always left it at home when he went to work though. He had told me that my mom wanted me to have it when I was old enough." He slipped the picture back into his hip bag.

"Thank you for sharing that, Keith. I feel better."

"Are you tired, Princess?"

"Yes, but you shouldn't be alone."

"We could go to the lounge. I promise to stay if you fall asleep."

"All right. Here." Allura held out a hand, which Keith accepted, and helped him to his feet.

It was an exhausting walk to the lounge for Keith, so he gratefully sat down on one of the couches. Allura brought over a couple of blankets and draped one over Keith before laying down next to him. He reached over and started stroking her hair. "Get some rest, Princess. I'm right here."

Allura closed her eyes and drifted off, the hand in her hair soothing to her. She couldn't tell how long she had been asleep, but she had to assume it was several vargas, because she heard the other Paladins talking.

"Aww, look how cute!" (Hunk)

"Don't be too loud. You'll wake them up." (Lance)

"Shouldn't we move them to beds so they will be more comfortable?" (Shiro)

"I dare you to move them. Keith's hand is tangled in her hair." (Pidge)

Allura cracked an eye open and noticed the four Paladins standing relatively close to her...and Keith. He was sleeping, a soft purr escaping him.

"Morning, Princess." Shiro noticed she was awake.

"Morning, Paladins. Could one of you help me untangle Keith's hand?"

Lance and Shiro stepped forward. Lance sat down on Keith's other side, while Shiro slowly and gently untangled Keith's hand. When his hand was almost untangled, Keith growled.

Lance stroked Keith's hair. "It's okay, cariño. Allura asked us to help her."

Keith stopped growling and opened his eyes. "Lance?"

"Morning, sweetheart." He kissed Keith's cheek, bent over, and kissed Keith' belly. "Morning, baby."

Keith blushed at Lance's actions and looked over at where Shiro finally got his hand untangled from Allura's hair. Allura sat up and hugged Keith. "Thank you for last night, Keith."

"There's no need to thank me, Princess. We're all family here. You don't have to be alone anymore."

Fin


	128. Inner Animals (broganes) *

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each Paladin has the ability to turn into their inner animal. The Paladins retain their eye color no matter which form they are in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is broganes and was suggested by xXkitsuneknightXx. The Paladins' forms are: 
> 
> Shiro - Gray Wolf/King Cobra  
Keith - Black Jaguar/Black Mamba  
Lance - Harpy Eagle/Fer-De-Lance Snake  
Pidge - Honey Badger/Western Diamondback Rattlesnake  
Hunk - Sun Bear/Green Anaconda
> 
> Tags: Broganes, Shapeshifting, Request

"Inner Animals"

Allura thought she knew what her Paladins were capable of. She had no way of knowing that she was about to be proven wrong.

%%%

It was a late night in the control room. Shiro was sitting in his Paladin seat, doing a scan of the region they were flying through, when the door opened, and in shuffled Keith, who was wearing a pair of black sleep pants and a soft red shirt. He walked over to Shiro and leaned against him.

"Hello, Keith."

"Takashi, you need sleep."

"I have the night shift."

"Ni-san, I'm tired."

"Then, go to sleep, ototo."

"Not without you."

"I'm not leaving."

Keith's form blurred before a Black Mamba appeared, quickly slithered up the Black Paladin seat, and settled around his brother's neck. Shiro chuckled. "I guess you aren't either."

%%%

Allura stopped short when she entered the control room the next morning. There sitting in the Black Paladin seat was Shiro, but he had a long, gray snake draped around his neck. The snake opened its mouth in something akin to a yawn.

"You know that mouth of yours freaks me out." The snake looked Shiro in the eyes and fake yawned, showing off the black interior of its mouth. "I don't need any of your sass, and close your mouth."

The snake closed its mouth and laid its head back down against Shiro's chest. Allura hesitated before stepping onto her platform and calling out, "Good morning, Shiro."

Shiro turned around. "Oh, good morning, Princess. I guess my shift is over."

"Yes. Go ahead and take the morning off to rest."

"Thanks, Princess. I'll do that as soon as we eat." Shiro gestured to the snake that lifted its head and looked at the princess with strange, purple eyes.

"Very well." Allura watched as Shiro and the snake left. She couldn't shake the feeling that she had seen those eyes before.

%%%

The Paladins and Alteans stopped by a peaceful planet to restock supplies. Lance decided to transform into his bird form and go flying. He adored the feeling the wind beneath his wings, but he never strayed far from the castle.

When Allura announced that they were getting ready to take off, Hunk let everyone enter the castle before whistling and catching Lance's attention. He landed on his arm, and Hunk carried him into the castle.

The whistle also caught Allura's attention. She watched as a relatively large bird landed on her Yellow Paladin's arm and was about to scold him for taking a bird into the castle but stopped as she realized that whatever the bird was that it wasn't native to the planet that were about to leave and had the most piercing blue eyes that looked strikingly familiar somehow. She would talk to Hunk about where he got the bird from, but right now, she had to fly the castle ship.

%%%

Allura was passing the Green Lion's hangar, when she heard a strange conversation taking place, which caused her to pause.

"Pidge, please! I just want a couple of pictures!"

"No, Lance."

"If I can't have access to the classic memes, then I will make my own copy of them, and what's more classic than the honey badger meme?"

"You're as bad as Matt."

"Come on! Just _one_ picture!"

"Ugh, if I agree, will you stop harassing me?"

"Yes."

"Fine."

"Yes!"

The conversation left her with a couple of questions, one of which was 'what was a meme?'

%%%

Allura froze in the doorway to the training deck. There tussling was a gray wolf, a black feline, a black bear, and something else Allura couldn't identify. Lance was sitting on the sidelines surrounded by Keith's jacket and everyone's bayards.

"What is going on here?"

The four animals froze, and everyone looked at the princess. Lance stood up and waved a hand at the animals. "You guys continue. I've got this."

The animals went back to play fighting while Lance approached the princess. "Sorry about that. I guess we forgot to tell you and Coran. Humans can change into what we term as our inner animal. Most humans have one shape they can take, but us Paladins have two." Lance started pointing at the animals. "Shiro is a Gray Wolf or a King Cobra, Keith is a Black Jaguar or a Black Mamba, Hunk is a Sun Bear or a Green Anaconda, and Pidge is a Honey Badger or a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake."

"What about you?"

"Oh. I'm a Harpy Eagle or a Fer-De-Lance Pit Viper."

"I don't know if I believe you, Lance. It sounds made up."

Lance chuckled. "All right. We can give you proof." He stuck two fingers into his mouth and gave a whistle. The four animals stopped tussling and looked at him. "All right, guys. Change back."

To Allura's surprise, the Gray Wolf changed back into Shiro, the Black Jaguar changed into Keith, the Sun Bear changed back into Hunk, and the Honey Badger changed into Pidge.

"Believe me now?"

"My apologies, Lance. I didn't know humans could change their forms. May I see your forms and the others' alternate forms?"

Lance shrugged his jacket off, tossing it to join Keith's, before he transformed into a Harpy Eagle. He launched into the air for a moment before coming to land on Hunk's shoulder. The eagle blurred and Lance was once again standing behind Hunk. He grinned, and all five Paladins changed into their snake forms.

Her eyes widened when she saw the gray snake that Keith became, because she recognized him as the snake that was draped around Shiro's neck a couple quintants ago. She looked at the others. Shiro (almost 11 feet) was a little longer than Keith (over nine feet) with Hunk being the longest and biggest. Lance and Pidge were a lot shorter than the others, Lance being just shy of six feet and Pidge barely reaching four.

Shiro changed back into his human form and scooped up Keith. Keith wound himself around Shiro's neck before Shiro stroked his head. "We apologize for not telling you sooner, but we aren't used to people _not_ knowing."

"It's all right, Shiro. My only question is are any of you guys dangerous?"

"Typically no, but we can kill someone. The terrestrial forms we have are capable of killing with either teeth or claws, but our snake forms have venom, except for Hunk, but he can crush someone with his body." He tapped Keith's head. "Hey, open up, buddy."

Keith looked at Shiro confused but did so anyway. Shiro gently grabbed Keith's head and pointed out the fangs. "The four of us have these fangs that deliver the venom to whatever we bite." He released Keith's head and gently stroked his head. "Thanks, bud."

Keith hissed, but Shiro knew he wasn't angry; however he put him down anyway. The snake blurred before he became the Black Jaguar he was before she came in. Keith head butted Shiro's leg. "All right, ototo. You win."

Shiro's form blurred before he became the Gray Wolf again. Keith growled and tackled Shiro, while the other three Paladins became human again and steered clear of the play fighting animals as they approached the princess.

"They'll be at it for awhile," Lance mentioned. "Keith and Shiro love to train in all their forms."

"But I saw you two," Allura pointed at Pidge and Hunk, "training with them."

"It wasn't training. We were just having fun."

"Fun?" Allura looked at Keith and Shiro. "I guess it could be."

Fin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note 2: I chose these animals not for the region they originate from, but because they are different than most stories I've seen and because most of them are my favorite animals. The Paladins have two forms, because I couldn't make up my mind which one I wanted them to have. These are real animals, and if anyone wants to know more about what they are or why I chose a specific animal for a Paladin, then leave a comment, and I will reply with my reasoning.


	129. Overcoming Prejudice (Blind Keith, Thulaz, Antolivan)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Trial of Combat has been requested and granted, but the leaders of the Blades are being unusually tight lipped about the request.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is the sixteenth story in the Blind Keith series. This is Thulaz and Antolivan. 
> 
> Tags: Blind Keith, Thulaz, Antolivan, Trial of Combat, Galra Keith, Butt Kicking Keith

"Overcoming Prejudice"

It had been five deca-phoebes since Keith had demonstrated his natural talent for flying. He excelled in anything his Daddy taught him in relation to flying. When he wasn't flying, he trained with Antok as much as he was allowed to. His training times were increased since his pack knew he was sharpening his skills to take down the pack of four Blades that had beaten him up.

Thace was observing his kit in his latest training session, pride swelling in his chest. Not for the first time, he thought back to when he and Ulaz learned that Keith was blind. He had told his mate that their kit would become a legend within their ranks, and upon seeing his kit take down Antok, he wholeheartedly believed it.

%%%

Antok groaned from his position on the floor under the kit. Normally, he could have jostled the kit enough to unbalance him, but Keith had his knife pressed to Antok's throat, so any jostling would result in a cut on his throat. "Well done, kit. You successfully took me down, an opponent four times your size."

Keith didn't move, but he did sniff. His posture relaxed a bit, and he withdrew his knife. "I did, didn't I?"

"Yes, kit. Now, take both of us down."

Keith's exceptional hearing gave him only mere ticks to move. He managed to dodge Kolivan's initial lunge, but he couldn't dodge Antok's tail as it swept Keith off his feet. However, the kit was quick to leap back to his feet and go on the attack. He attacked with the ferocity of a Galra who knew he couldn't lose. The pair of mates were an exceptional team, and it may have been cruel to pit the kit against them, but it gave them an accurate example of the kit's skills. Whether or not he actually could take down the leaders wasn't the point. The point of this exercise was to prove that the kit was ready to enact his revenge against the Blades who had attacked him, which he was.

%%%

The headquarters of the Blades was abuzz with excitement. A trial of combat was happening later that quintant. The leaders had received a request for the trial, which was granted, but no one seemed to know who had sent the request. It was quite exciting, since a trial of combat was a rare event.

The leaders refused to answer any questions about the trial before the time it would start, which would be after breakfast. Everyone seemed to be eager to rush through the meal as if that would bring about the trial any faster.

The only Blade that didn't seem eager about the trial was the leader's kit. Most of the Blades figured it was because he wasn't able to see it, but it was because he was nervous. He had submitted the request for the trial of combat, even though it was just a formality. Kolivan wasn't going to deny the kit the chance to get back at the Blades who despised him and possibly earn their respect.

"You do need to at least eat a little bit, kit," Ulaz said.

"I know, Papa, but I'm so nervous about the trials that I don't think I can keep anything down. Can I just eat a larger lunch?"

"Very well, kit, but I want you to have a snack as well," Ulaz relented. Keith purred to his Papa, who stroked his kit's headfur.

Soon enough, breakfast ended and the majority of the Blades gathered in the observation area, which was sectioned off from the combat area, which was the same room the first round of the Trials of Marmora take place in. A trial of combat was so rare that it was illogical to have a designated room for it when space was a luxury in the base.

Soshan and his pack were entering the observation area, when they were stopped by Kolivan. The four Blades bowed to their leader.

"Rise. I need you four to participate in the trial of combat. You will go in one at a time, and fight with honor."

"Yes, leader." Soshan led his pack to the waiting area underneath the combat area.

Kolivan joined his pack at the front of the room. He pressed the button for the intercom. "Combatant, enter."

Keith took a deep breath and entered the room to the surprise of the observers. The _kit_ was the one who requested the trials?!

"The trial of combat is a one-on-one hand-to-hand combat. There are four rounds to this particular trial. The trial will now commence."

The first member of Soshan's pack, Chagan, was between Thace and Kolivan in terms of height and his build was like Thace. He was surprised to see the leader's blind kit in the combat area.

"I'm supposed to fight _you?"_

"Yes." The kit's voice didn't waver and was full of confidence.

Chagan grinned. "Maybe you can give me a little bit of a challenge unlike that quintant in the training hall."

Keith growled. "That was four-on-one and five deca-phoebes ago. Now, let's go!"

Keith rushed the other Blade, jumping at the last tick, which effectively catapulted him over Chagan's shoulders. Readjusting his body's position in midair, Keith grabbed ahold of Chagan's shoulders and tried to bring him down, using gravity to his advantage. It didn't work completely, but it did get his opponent off balance. Keith landed behind Chagan and aimed a kick at his knees. The kit moved so fast and agilely that Chagan didn't have a chance to retaliate in any way, before Keith pinned him.

"Round one is over. Victory to Keith."

Keith extended his hand to Chagan to help him to his feet. Chagan accepted his hand up. "You are quite fast, kit. I was wrong. You would be an asset on the battlefield."

"Thank you."

Chagan left as Kolivan announced over the intercom, "Round two begin." 

Delan entered the room and was surprised at his opponent, just like his pack member was. His fight along with the third round against Ardol lasted as long as the first round and with the same results. Keith soundly defeated both of the Blades and earned their respect.

The last round was the one Keith was actually concerned about. Soshan was between Kolivan and Antok in terms of height but as agile as Ulaz and was the leader of his pack. He was a bit older than the other three, so he had more experience, but Keith knew he was quicker and more agile.

"Round four begin."

Soshan confidently stepped into the combat area and was as astonished as his pack members had been. Then, he grinned. He would get to beat up the leader's kit with no repercussions. "So, you are the little upstart who thinks he's so special just because you are the leader's kit."

Keith ignored the taunt, because he had heard it before and knew it to be a lie. He simply ran at Soshan and jumped onto his shoulders. He hooked a leg around the large Galra's neck and dropped his entire weight down, effectively knocking Soshan off balance. However, his plan of bringing him down failed spectacularly when Soshan stood up and grabbed Keith's free leg, yanking the kit forward. Soshan grinned as he held Keith upside down at arm's length by his ankle. Keith struggled to get down, pulling at Soshan's fingers. It took a dobosh, but Keith managed to get his leg free, but instead of falling, he executed a graceful backflip off of Soshan's hand. Landing in a crouch, Keith paused, listening for a clue as to what his opponent's move would be. 

Soshan was frustrated. The kit was a much better fighter than he had given him credit for. If he didn't know any different, he wouldn't think the kit _was_ blind. How had the kit learned to fight in the five deca-phoebes since their encounter in the training hall? His eyes flicked up to where he knew the entirety of the base was watching.

However, this distraction gave Keith the opening he needed. He once again rushed Soshan and jumped onto his shoulders. He hooked a leg around the large Galra's neck and dropped his entire weight down, effectively knocking Soshan off balance. He wisely kept his legs out of reach this time. He quickly crouched and swept Soshan's legs out from underneath him. He jumped onto the downed Blade and pinned his legs and arms with surprising strength.

Soshan struggled to free himself from the kit's grasp, growling. Keith looked at him in the face, his hazy purple eyes unnerving him, and he could have sworn the sclera had a yellowish tinge to them. "Give up. I beat you and your entire pack in hand-to-hand combat. I do not wish to do more harm to you."

"Never." Soshan managed to free one hand and unsheathed his blade. He pushed the kit off of himself and charged with his sword. Keith had heard the sword being unsheathed and smelled the luxite in the air. He quickly unsheathed his knife and threw it with such accuracy and speed that not only did it disarm Soshan, but it also pinned him to the floor.

Keith did not approach the pinned Blade but remained where he was standing. "This was supposed to be hand-to-hand combat only. It was dishonorable to pull your blade on me. However, I defeated you a second time. If you continue this, I will soundly defeat you again and again."

Soshan yanked the knife out of the floor where it had pinned him. He approached the kit but instead of attacking him, he knelt down, holding his knife out. "My pack and I were wrong. Not only would you not be a liability on the battlefield but you would be an asset on any mission. I would be honored to assist you once you become a full fledged Blade. You have earned the respect of my pack and I."

"Thank you." Keith picked up his knife and sheathed it. He left the room, where he was immediately ushered to the med bay, where his Papa checked him over for injuries. There were a few minor scrapes and scratches, but his kit was mostly in need of food and comfort.

However, not only had Keith earned the respect of the ableist Blades but he also earned the right to go on simple missions. He just didn't know that yet.

Fin


	130. New Bayard Forms (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance asks Keith about his ability to blast their way out of the Gala ship, and Keith shows him his new bayard form, to which Lance responds to by showing off his bayard sword.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This takes place after Season 8 Episode 3 "The Prisoner's Dilemma" and ends up Klance.
> 
> Tags: Season 8, Klance, Bayards, Confessions

"New Bayard Forms"

"Hey, Keith! Hold up, dude!"

Keith paused and turned, recognizing Lance's voice. "What's wrong, Lance?"

"Did you get a new bayard form? When we had to escape that Galra ship, you were able to blast our way out."

"Oh, yeah. I have a hand canon."

"A hand canon?"

"Yeah. I don't know what else to call it." Keith grinned. "Do you want to see it?"

"Sure." Lance wrapped an arm around Keith's shoulders and accompanied him to the training area. "Now, let's see this so called hand canon."

Keith grinned even wider and pulled out his bayard. "Are you ready?"

"Just activate it already."

Keith activated his bayard and a black and white...hand canon appeared. There was no other term for it. It looked awesome in Lance's opinion. Keith could tell by the look on Lance's face that the other was jealous. "Now, who's the Sharpshooter?"

"Still me. All that thing is good for is obliterating everything in its path. Two of my bayard forms are good for precision strikes."

"Two of your bayard forms? How many do you have?"

"Oh, that's right. You were helping the Blades when my third bayard form appeared." Lance pulled out and activated his bayard, his sword appearing. "Allura told me it was an Altean broadsword, the same type her father used when he was a Paladin."

Keith couldn't help but stare at the sword in Lance's hand. The Black Paladin had always adored swords, and this one was quite the beauty. "It's gorgeous, Lance."

Lance blushed. "Thanks. Your hand canon is amazing as well."

"Just admit that you like each other and kiss already!" Nadia exclaimed as she crossed the training area.

Keith and Lance turned and watched the MFE pilot leave before they turned back to each other, allowing their bayards to deactivate and disappear.

"Do you like me?" Lance asked.

"Whether I do or not doesn't matter. You're dating Allura."

"Actually, we broke it off. We realized that we are better off as friends, really good friends."

"So, you're single?"

"Yes."

Keith closed the distance between himself and his right hand man. "In that case, I should let you know that I do like you."

"I like you too, Keith." Lance wrapped his arms around Keith and tugged him firmly against him.

Keith rested his forehead against Lance's. "I'd very much like to kiss you."

Lance leaned even closer, his lips mere inches away from Keith's, his words the only thing separating their lips. "Be my guest."

Keith closed that minute gap and wrapped his arms around Lance, his hands running up Lance's back (under his Garrison issued blue and white shirt), making Lance gasp into his mouth.

When they broke apart, Keith smiled sweetly. "We should probably take this somewhere private...sweetheart."

"My room is close."

"Lead the way."

Fin


	131. The Wager (Mama Krolia, Adashi)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam, Matt, and Shiro see Keith "mess up" or "act weird" and come up with their own theory, even betting each other $20.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is a set of one shots for the Mama Krolia series depicting Keith's adventures on Earth and/or at the Garrison.
> 
> Tags: Adashi, Mama Krolia, Japanese Shiro, Movies,Theories, Betting

"The Wager"

"Hey, Keith! We're ready for movie night! Are you ready?" Shiro called up the stairs.

"Just a sec!" Keith called back. He wanted to make sure he had extra concealer over his stripes. He didn't want to accidentally have it wiped off and try to explain to Shiro, Adam, and Matt why he has purple on his cheeks. He looked at himself in the mirror and smiled. He looked good. The concealer wasn't noticeable nor were his stripes. He hurried down the stairs and plopped between Adam and Matt on the couch. Shiro was sitting on Adam's other side. "So, what movie are we watching?"

"I thought we'd watch _The Grudge,_ but Shiro nixed that," Matt said, sliding an arm around Keith's shoulders.

"For good reason," Shiro retorted. "I don't want to watch a horror movie based around a legend in my culture."

"What culture, Shiro?" Keith asked.

"I'm from Japan. It's on the other side of the world."

Keith nodded. He had studied the schematics of Earth and the different countries. Unfortunately, there were too many for him to memorize. "So, what are we watching?"

"I figured we'd watch the _Resident Evil_ series. There are six; the original called _Resident Evil, Apocalypse, Extinction, Afterlife, Retribution,_ and _The Final Chapter,"_ Adam answered.

"That's an awful lot, especially if they are the usual two hours," Keith stated. Living with Shiro and Adam, Keith had been exposed to Earth culture and had found out that most Earth movies were between an hour and a half to two hours in length.

"That's why we are starting this on a Friday night. We will watch tonight and tomorrow night," Matt replied. "Now, sit back, and enjoy the marathon."

During the second movie (somewhere between the lickers in the chapel and Nemesis showing up), Matt had moved his arm off Keith's shoulders and was sitting with a bowl of popcorn on his lap. Keith had shifted position and leaned against Adam with his head in Adam's lap. He dozed off during the movie, so he wasn't aware of Adam carding his fingers through Keith's hair. He was remembering his mom grooming his hair, and it felt so similar that he unconsciously started purring.

A strange noise caught Adam's attention and drew it away from the movie (which was okay, since he had seen this one before many times). He felt a slight vibration on his lap and realized that it was coming from Keith. At first, he thought the kid was snoring but soon realized that it was more of a purr than snoring. He filed that detail away and resolved to tell Shiro about it sometime on Saturday, when Keith wasn't in the same room.

%%%  
  
"I know what I heard, Takashi! He purred! He _purred!"_

"How could he do that?"

"I don't know, maybe he was experimented on but it went wrong."

"That sounds ridiculous, Adam. He's just a regular kid."

%%%

The quartet continued watching the movies during the day, so they only had to watch the last one at night. Keith asked if he could sleep in his room, which Shiro declared a good idea for everyone. It didn't take Keith long to fall asleep. Unfortunately, it was anything but restful.

Keith awoke with a whine, sitting bolt upright and panting. His nightmare was horrible. He didn't have his stripes and his pack didn't remember him, forcing him to go through the Trials of Marmora, where he continuously fought Blade after Blade. He had to make sure he still had his stripes, so he quietly got out of bed and padded barefoot to the nearby bathroom. He didn't close the door all the way, leaving the door open enough to let someone see the light without getting too close. He used his pajama sleeves to wipe off the concealer, revealing his violet cheek stripes he got from his mother. He sighed in relief, not knowing that someone had seen him.

%%%

Shiro was on his way to the kitchen to get a glass of water, when he saw the bathroom light on. He figured someone accidentally left it on, so he slowed down as he neared it, intent on turning off the light, when he saw Keith standing there staring at his reflection. Shiro didn't mean to stare, but he hadn't seen the purple stripes on his cheeks before. He stayed long enough to witness Keith applying a concealer to the stripes, effectively hiding them from view. Shiro quietly tiptoed past the bathroom and into the kitchen. He absentmindedly filled a glass with water as he thought about what he just witnessed. It must have been a birth defect that Keith learned to cover up to avoid awkward questions. He polished off his glass of water and resolved to bring it up to Adam the next day when Keith wasn't nearby.

%%%

"Adam! He's purple! I saw it!"

"Purple?" Adam sounded skeptical.

"There were two stripes, one on each cheek. He's covering them up with a concealer of some sort, probably to avoid awkward questions."

"Naw. It's probably another effect from the experiment he underwent."

"He didn't undergo any experiments. It's simply a birth defect."

"No. It's a-li-ens," Matt piped up from the stairs, where he was coming down from.

"Aliens?" Adam and Shiro chorused.

Shiro sighed. "You and your Dad are obsessed with meeting aliens."

"Twenty bucks, it's aliens," Matt dared.

"I'm in but it's not aliens. He underwent an experiment," Adam betted.

"Same, but it's a birth defect," Shiro wagered.

All three shook hands on it. All of this happened without Keith's knowledge, and they were going to keep it that way, so they didn't embarrass the younger cadet.

Fin


	132. Glimpses of What Could Have Been (Regeith) *

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the Space Whale, Keith sees an alternate version of the timeline, where he and Regris get married.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Regeith and was suggested by Katakira_Wolves.
> 
> Tags: Regeith, AU, Space Whale, Krolia feels bad for Keith, Request

"Glimpses of What Could Have Been"

Sunlight spilled into the cave, where Keith, Krolia, and the cosmic wolf stayed while on the Space Whale. The glimpses into the past and future happened more often when they were awake, so Krolia was able to help Keith come to terms with what he saw and Keith was able to explain things to his mom.

They were just about to go hunt for breakfast, when a flash engulfed them. It was an alternate universe. That much was obvious to Keith as he saw Regris in this vision.

"Who is that, kit?"

"That's Regris. He was my partner on several Blade missions, but he died on one of them."

Keith watched as Regris was fussing with his Blade uniform, but it looked a little different. It looked a little fancier than normal. Keith cocked his head, causing Krolia to ask, "What's the matter, kit?"

"Regris's uniform is different. This one seems fancier."

"He may be on his way to a formal event. Sometimes, the Blades attended a formal event, like a wedding or coronation."

"All the Blades seem to do now is mission after mission." Keith groused as he and Krolia followed Regris as he left the room and walked to another room that had a lot of Blades standing near the back. Regris walked all the way to the front where Kolivan was standing. Not too long after, the doors in the rear of the room opened, revealing Keith in an equally fancy Blade uniform being escorted by Thace.

Krolia realized that she was witnessing an alternate version of her son getting married to Regris. The wedding was a silent affair with a bonding of their blades. Keith and Regris presented their luxite swords in their dormant forms to Kolivan. He wrapped a cord around the two knives. Then, Regris and Keith activated their blades simultaneously. The two blades shifted to their awakened forms. The energy from the two blades merged together, so when one was being used, the other blade would grow warm and could be used to lead the owner to his bonded.

Once the light from the merging disappeared, Kolivan unwrapped the cord, and Keith and Regris sheathed their blades. Kolivan placed a hand on one of Keith's and the other on one of Regris's and brought their hands together, clasping them and encasing their joined hands in his. "Congratulations on your bonding."

"Thank you, sir." Regris was the first to respond with Keith following a few ticks later.

"You may have your requested movement off your duties," Kolivan informed them.

Both Keith and Regris smiled and bowed to their leader before leaving the room.

Krolia smiled sadly, but that smile turned to a frown as she felt her kit start shaking at her side. She turned to him as they emerged from the vision. "What's the matter, my kit?"

"I-I-We were still getting to know each other, but I did feel this pull from Regris. I was going to talk to him after our mission, but he died on that mission, and Kolivan prevented me from saving him, and now, I see how happy I could have been. It's not fair!" Keith exclaimed before breaking into heart wrenching sobs.

Krolia quickly swept her kit into her arms, tucking him under her chin, and purred to him. "I know, my kit. I know."

Not for the first time, Krolia cursed the circumstances that had separated her from her kit and mate and the series of plights that had followed her kit since the death of his father all those deca-phoebes ago. She had hoped her reunion with her kit (and mate) would be a joyous one, but that obviously hadn't been the case.

Fin


	133. Horrific Vision (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance love his mate so much and can't stand the thought of losing him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is fey Klance with water fey Lance and fire fey Keith.
> 
> Tags: Klance, Fey, Water Fey Lance, Fire Fey Keith, Nightmare

"Horrific Vision"

Lance flew over the water, letting his powers manipulate the surface of the water. He couldn't wait to get home and spend time with his mate, a fellow fey by the name of Keith. He was a fire fey where Lance was a water fey.

He heard the raucous noise of hunters having a party on the beach. It had been awhile since he had run across a band of hunters. It worried him having them so close to his home. He flew closer and was immediately incensed by the sight of cages full of other supernatural beings. He decided to help out the fellow beings and release them from the cages. He used the water to run the hunters off and open the cages. He looked around and grinned at the fleeing fey, shapeshifters, vampires, werewolves, and other beings. His grin morphed into a look of horror as his gaze fell on a familiar fey with crimson and black wings, who wasn't moving.

"Keith?" Lance rushed forward and pulled his mate into his arms. "Keith, are you all right?"

"L...Lance?" Keith's purple eyes were half-open.

"Yes, I'm here. I've got you, sweetheart."

Keith seemed to be having trouble breathing. "Lance...I...love you."

Keith's eyes slid closed, and he went limp in Lance's arms. "Keith!"

%%%

"Keith!" Lance sat up, his wings quivering. He had had a nightmare of his mate being captured by hunters again.

"Lance? What's wrong?" Keith rushed into the room and pulled Lance into his arms, his wings wrapping around his mate.

"I had a nightmare, where you were captured by hunters again." Lance began shaking harder.

"Shh, sweetheart. I'm okay. I'm here."

Lance clutched Keith close. The nightmare felt so real, and that reality scared him. He loved his mate so much, and he didn't want to lose him ever.

Fin


	134. A Heated Confession (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith has a crush on Lance, and it's obvious to his team members.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This starts out with pining Klance and ends up with Klance.
> 
> Tags: Klance, Pining Keith, Pining Lance, Confessions

"A Heated Confession"

Keith knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't help it. He liked watching Lance or Loverboy as he called him in his mind. It was dangerous, because he might accidentally call him 'Loverboy' to his face, and it was getting increasingly difficult as the day went on.

It was a rebuilding day on the planet they just help liberate (Keith forgot the name of it), and the Paladins were assisting with the rebuilding of the planet. It was a hot day, and the guys were working up a sweat. They all had already discarded their jackets or vests, and Keith and Lance had also discarded their shirts. Keith couldn't help but stare at Lance. His lean body and rock hard abs were hidden by his usual long sleeve shirt and jacket. Keith _knew_ he was as red as his discarded jacket.

"Hey, Keith!"

Keith jumped as Hunk's voice called out to him. He turned as he tried to get his heart rate back under control. "Yes?"

Hunk's smirk grew wider as he neared the Red Paladin. "Either stop staring at Lance or ask him out."

Keith's face heated up, and he buried it in his hands, grateful that he had just come from washing his hands. Hunk laughed good naturedly and patted Keith's shoulders.

"Hunk, why do you do this?" Keith muttered into his hands before lifting his eyes to meet the Yellow Paladin's face.

"So you two will stop dancing around each other." Hunk leaned in close to the other Paladin. "Lance likes you too."

Keith's hands fell from his face, and his eyes widened in surprise. "H-He likes me?"

"Yes, I do."

Keith looked up to see an equally red Lance with a grinning Pidge standing beside him. Keith stepped closer to Lance. "Truly, Loverboy?"

Lance smiled. "Yes, truly...cariño."

Fin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note 2: Lance drew Keith into a hug. "Ugh, Lance! You're so sweaty!"
> 
> Lance grinned and held on tighter. Keith tried to break away and just managed to make an escape. He took off running with Lance giving chase. Shortly after, the tables had turned, and Keith was the one chasing Lance. It ended with Keith tackling Lance, sending both of them tumbling into the lake. The two Paladins surfaced next to each other and shared a sweet, chaste kiss.


	135. Sick Paladin (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Keith falls ill, it's up to Lance to care for his boyfriend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Klance.
> 
> Tags: Klance, Sick Keith, Lance is a good boyfriend

"Sick Paladin"

Keith curled up on his side with his head pillowed on Lance's thigh, coughing harshly. Lance reached down and stroked his boyfriend's hair to soothe him. "It's all right, cariño. I'm here."

Once Keith was resting again, Lance returned to the book he was reading. It was one of Keith's of course. His boyfriend was a lover of books and could be found reading everything from diplomacy to satire to mangas. The book Lance borrowed was a thick one. It didn't really interest him. He had simply chosen it, so he wouldn't have to leave Keith's side. At that moment, he was sitting on Keith's bed with the ill Paladin laying between his legs. He had pulled a blanket over his boyfriend. The blanket moved off and on as Keith's temperature raised and lowered. The team knew he was taking care of Keith and that the two of them were dating. So, when the door opened, Lance didn't do more than raise his eyes from the page he was reading.

His eyebrows raised as Coran entered Keith's room. He stopped short when he saw Lance sitting on the bed. He looked around before he turned to look at Lance again, having not noticed Keith. "Why are-"

He was cut off by Keith coughing, and Lance rubbed his back. "It's okay, cariño."

When the coughing subsided, Coran's eyes widened. "Why are you here, number three?"

"I'm taking care of Keith. He's ill."

"Why is he not in a healing pod then?"

"He didn't want to go into one."

Keith groaned, having been disturbed by the conversation. He shifted and sat up. "Coran, what's going on?"

"I should be asking you that question. Why would you refuse a healing pod?"

"I'm just sick, and my boyfriend is taking care of me." Keith turned away from Coran and snuggled into Lance's chest.

Lance wrapped his arms around Keith. "You should probably go, Coran."

"Oh! Coran, what are you doing here?"

Coran turned to look at the door where Allura stood with a basket in her hands. "Princess, what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to drop off some food and drink for Keith and Lance and check on Keith." Allura moved into the room. She set the basket down near Lance and sat down. "How are you doing, Keith?"

"Allura?"

Allura reached out and stroked Keith's hair. "Yes, Keith. I came to check on you."

"He's still sick. He probably won't be back to normal for another quintant."

"No. I'll be okay tomorrow," Keith protested.

"No, cariño. If you try to do too much too soon, you'll have a relapse and be even worse than you are right now. You are staying right here, and if I have to stay here to make sure you do, then I'll happily do so."

Allura smiled at their bickering and stood up. "I'll tell the rest of the team not to expect you up until the quintant after tomorrow at the earliest."

"Thank you for the food and for checking on Keith, Allura. He and I appreciate it."

"It's the least I can do for you since you risk your lives defending the universe." She paused at the door. "Get well soon, Keith. Come along, Coran. Let's let the boys rest."

Coran followed Allura out the door, which closed behind them. Lance sighed in relief. He had been worried that Coran would insist on putting Keith into one of the healing pods, since the Paladins usually didn't get time to rest, but Keith didn't like the healing pods. He tightened his hold on his boyfriend, who had drifted off to sleep. He dropped a kiss on his fluffy hair and said, "Get better soon, cariño."

Fin


	136. Code Baby Red (Age Regression)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith regresses and just wants his Dada to take care of him, Lance isn't back yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is age regression with Little Keith and Dada Lance.
> 
> Tags: Age regression, Little Keith, Dada Lance

"Code Baby Red"

Keith navigated the corridors of the Castle of Lions faster than normal. He _had_ to make it to his room. He knew he was drawing attention to himself running down the corridors, but he couldn't regress in the middle of the hallway, especially since D-Lance wasn't currently in the castle. The Blue Paladin had responded to a distress signal but was on his way back to the castle. Keith knew Lance wouldn't make it back before he regressed. He just hoped it wouldn't be too long before Dada came by.

He stumbled into his room and managed to sit down near his bed. He reached up and snagged the red blanket off his bed to cuddle with. He wanted his Dada. Small tears appeared in the little Paladin's eyes. Where was his Dada?

Suddenly, his door opened, drawing Keith's attention. "Dada?"

Sadly, it wasn't Lance but Hunk. The Yellow Paladin looked down at Keith who was sitting on the floor with little tears in the corner of his eyes and cuddling his blanket. He realized that Keith was little and wanting Lance as he usually did in little space. Only problem was that Lance wasn't back yet. "Sorry, little dude. Lance isn't here right now."

Bigger tears started rolling down Keith's cheeks before he started full on bawling. "Dada!"

"Lance! Code baby red!" Hunk exclaimed into his comm, scooping up the little, who sniffled into Hunk's shoulder.

"On my way!"

Keith lifted his head when he heard Lance's voice, a stray tear trailing down his cheek. "Dada?"

Hunk stroked Keith's hair. "It's okay, Keith. Lance's on his way here."

It didn't take long for Lance to arrive at Keith's room. He entered and immediately scooped up his little. He jostled him gently. "Hey now. It's okay. Dada's here." He turned to Hunk. "Thanks, man, for letting me know."

"It's no problem. Take care of him." Hunk left the room.

"Let's get you changed, baby." Lance laid Keith down and changed him out of his shirt, pants, and underwear and into a diaper and red sleeper. He scooped him back up and headed for the rocker that was in the corner. He sat down and snagged the pacifier that was on the nightstand. He rubbed it against his little's lips, which parted enough for the pacifier to be slipped into his mouth. Keith laid his head against his Dada's shoulder, and Lance began rocking him. Keith's eyelids began to slide closed. "That's right, baby," Lance cooed. "Sleep. I've got you. Dada's here."

Fin


	137. Feverish (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith is sick but doesn't want to admit it. Lance takes care of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Klance.
> 
> Tags: Klance, Sick Keith, Lance is a good boyfriend, Boyfriend Jacket

"Feverish"

The Paladins were gathered in the lounge, relaxing, when they realized that Keith was missing.

"I'll go look for him," Lance offered, leaving the room. He decided to look in Keith's room first. He was worried about Keith. Normally, his boyfriend would stick with the team, knowing how Lance fretted over him. He knocked on the door. "Keith? Are you in there?" Not receiving a reply, Lance continued, "If you are, I'm coming in anyway." He pried the door open and entered. His eyes roved over the room, landing on the rumpled bedding, which was strange. Keith was a tidy person; he wouldn't leave his bed unmade, but the way the blanket was most of the way off the bed made Lance uneasy. His gaze followed the blanket to the floor, where a figure in black sleep pants and a red shirt laid. "Keith! Keith, do you hear me?" Lance checked his pulse, sighing in relief when he felt the strong beating. "Cariño, please wake up! Quit freaking me out." He picked up Keith and sat down on his bed with him still in his arms. "Keith, say something. Lecture me, scold me, anything. Just let me here your voice."

"Lance?"

Lance looked at the figure in his arms just in time to see his purple eyes open halfway. From what Lance could see, they looked brighter than normal. He put the back of his hand against Keith's forehead and withdrew it quickly. "Oh, Keith. You're sick."

"No. I'm fine." Keith struggled to get out of Lance's arms.

"Don't lie," Lance scolded his boyfriend, causing him to cease struggling. "I can tell you're sick. I'm going to take care of you."

"You don't need to."

"Hush. I want to." Lance kissed Keith's too hot forehead before he stood up. He turned around, put Keith on the bed, and covered him with the blanket, tucking him in. "Now, you need to get some rest."

"Stay with me, Lance." Keith turned onto his side.

Lance ran a hand through Keith's thick mullet. "I need to tell the others, but I will be back." Keith looked so miserable, Lance knew he had to do something that showed him that he would be back. He shrugged off his jacket and gave it to his boyfriend. "Here. Now, you know I'll be back."

Keith buried his face into Lance's jacket with a small smile on his face. Lance had to turn away from the sight. His boyfriend was too adorable when he was ill. "I'll be right back, cariño."

Lance left right after that, so he didn't notice that Keith had fallen back asleep. Lance made it to the lounge and entered. Shiro noticed that he didn't have his jacket on and that he was alone. "Lance, where's Keith...and your jacket?"

"Keith's sick. He didn't want me to leave, so I left my jacket with him. That way he'd know I would be back. "

"He's sick?" Hunk asked.

"Can we see him?" Pidge inquired.

"I don't see why not." Lance led the others to Keith's room, having to open the door himself again.

Fortunately, Keith was still on the bed with his face buried in Lance's jacket. Lance sat down next to Keith, whose eyes opened halfway again. "Lance?"

"Hey, cariño. Everyone's here to see you." Keith struggled to sit up, but Lance held him down. "Easy. You don't need to sit up."

"Yeah, Keith. Lance's right. You're in no shape to do anything but rest," Hunk said.

Shiro knelt next to the bed and brushed a hand across his forehead. "Keith, you need rest so you feel better."

"Thanks, guys," Keith breathed.

"No need to thank us." Hunk grabbed Pidge's hand. "Pidge and I should go. We have some tech that needs decoding. Bye, Keith." Hunk and Pidge left.

Shiro stood up. "Get well soon, Keith. I should go so you can get some rest."

Shiro slipped out, so Keith and Lance were alone. Lance slipped off his shoes and slid under the blanket Keith was under. He moved his jacket out of the way and gathered his boyfriend into his arms, letting him lay his head on his chest. "Get some rest, cariño. I'm here for you."

Fin


	138. Selective Amnesia (DoM)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith gets hit during a battle in the lions and seems to have a problem with his memory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, and Antok survived. Keith was raised by the BoM. He is still the Red Paladin and still considers the BoM his pack.
> 
> Tags: DoM, Selective Amnesia, BoM Keith

"Selective Amnesia"

"Keith, watch out!" The four members of the Blade of Marmora watched as the Red Lion was shot down. Fortunately, Blue Lion caught Red and brought her to the castle before rejoining the rest of the lions outside.

The four Blades rushed to the downed lion to see what state their youngest member was in. Thace pried the lion's top hatch open and climbed in. Keith was unconscious and slumped over in his seat. Thace carefully picked up his kit and climbed back out. Ulaz, Antok, and Kolivan crowded around their fellow Blades. Ulaz removed Keith's helmet and inspected it to determine if there was any damage which would have transferred to the Paladin. Suddenly, a groan reached their ears. Keith started stirring and opened his violet eyes. They landed on each of the Blades. He smiled. "Thace, Ulaz, Antok, Kolivan."

"How do you feel, kit?" Thace asked.

"My head hurts, but I think I'm ok." Keith looked around. "Is this a new base?"

"What do you mean?" Kolivan inquired.

"This place is unfamiliar. Did we go to a new base or outpost? Is this a mission?"

"No. This isn't a new base or outpost, but we are on a mission," Ulaz replied.

"All five of us? Awesome."

"There are others working with us as well," Kolivan corrected.

Keith looked at the leader with a touch of wariness in his eyes. "How trustworthy are they?"

"They are valuable allies, kit," Antok answered.

"Let's get you healed up, and then, we'll meet up with our allies," Thace mentioned.

Keith tried to get down out of Thace's arms, but he wouldn't let him. "I can walk, Dad."

The four Blades all stopped when they heard what Keith said. He hadn't called Thace 'dad' in deca-phoebes. In fact, his behavior was concerning. He didn't seem to remember the castle. Would he remember the other Paladins?

"I know you can, kit. However, you might have injuries, and I don't want you to aggravate them any further."

Keith pouted and got slapped lightly by Antok's tail. "Hey!"

"Do not pout. It would have been harder if we knew the extent of your injuries," Antok admonished.

"All right," Keith said. Thace carried Keith to the infirmary, and Keith climbed in the pod without any orders from his family. The pod closed and activated, Keith's eyes closing slowly. The four Blades looked at each other. Keith was close to all of them, so it was distressing for them that he was hurt.

Just then, Allura and the four other Paladins rushed in. Shiro marched up to Kolivan. "How is he?"

With another look at the healing Blade, Kolivan answered, "He said he had a headache, but he seems to have a problem with his memory."

"Problem with his memory? You mean he has amnesia?" Shiro pressed.

"More like selective amnesia," Ulaz corrected. "He recognized the four of us but not the castle. We don't know how much he remembers."

"We'll just have to wait until he's out of the sleep pod," Allura said.

%%%

The door opened, and Keith stepped out of the pod. He looked at the ten people staring at him. Confusion flashed across Keith's face before he remembered the conversation earlier. "You must be the allies Kolivan mentioned." He stepped up to Allura, knelt down on one knee, and took her hand. He kissed the back of it. "I am Keith of the Blade of Marmora."

The Paladins and Allura were shocked. So, he _did_ have selective amnesia. Allura recovered first. "I am Princess Allura of Altea. I am pleased to be allies with the Blade of Marmora. How long have you been in the Blade?"

"All my life, my lady. Eighteen deca-phoebes."

"My son has only been an active Blade for a few phoebes. He has recently undergone our trials and awakened his Blade. He had started training when he turned four," Thace clarified.

Shiro stepped up to Keith. "Hello, young Blade. I am Shiro, leader of the Voltron Paladins. These are my team members; the Blue Paladin, Lance; the Green Paladin, Pidge; and the Yellow Paladin, Hunk."

Keith looked at Shiro. "There are supposed to be five Paladins. Where's the fifth?"

Shiro looked quickly at Kolivan, who stepped up behind Keith. He placed a hand on the back of Keith's neck. Keith looked at the Blade leader. "You are the fifth Paladin, the pilot of the Red Lion. However, this is not the first time you have met our allies. You have been in countless battles with them. Today, you were injured in battle and sustained a head injury, affecting your memory."

"Which would explain why this headache has not gone away," Keith said, placing a hand against his head. "How long do you think it will take for my memory to return?"

"It is uncertain. It could take a couple of vargas or a few movements," Antok answered.

"May I go lay down in our nest?" Keith asked, lowering his hand.

"Of course, kit. Come with me," Thace wrapped an arm around Keith's shoulders and led him to the pack's nest room. They entered the nest, and Thace let Keith snuggle up against him. He started grooming his hair, eliciting a purr from the youngest Blade. As Keith was lulled to sleep, Thace kept grooming his hair and hoped that his kit's memory would return by the time he woke back up.

Fin


	139. A Little Nightmare (Age Regression)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith has a nightmare while regressed and wants Lance, his preferred caregiver.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is age regression with Little Keith and Caregiver Lance.
> 
> Tags: Age Regression, Little Keith, Caregiver Lance, Nightmare, Cuddles

"A Little Nightmare"

A scream startled Hunk, whose turn it was to watch over the little. He rushed into the room to find Keith curled into a ball on his bed with tears pouring down his face. Hunk sat on the bed. "Hey, buddy. What's wrong?"

Keith looked up at the big man and launched himself into his arms, knocking over a lamp in the process, crying even harder. Hunk was at a loss at what to do, since he wasn't a caregiver. He needed someone who could help calm down the little. Hunk rearranged the little in his arms and set off to find the closest person.

%%%

Lance was resting in his room when there was a knock at the door. "Come in." Hunk walked in with a still bawling Keith in his arms. Lance was on his feet in an instant. "What happened?"

Upon hearing Lance's voice, Keith looked up and saw the person he wanted most. He raised his arms in his direction. "Lancey!"

Lance scooped up the little, who gave him a big neck hug. "I guess it's my turn again, big guy. Go ahead, and get some sleep. I've got this." Hunk left without saying anything. Lance sat down on his bed and looked at the slightly sniffling Keith. "Now, what's the matter, pal?"

"Hadda bad dream and wanted you."

"It scared you pretty bad, huh?"

Keith nodded and snuggled into Lance, slowly drifting back off to sleep.

%%%

Allura went to see her little Paladin but was alarmed to find his room empty with signs of a small struggle. It looked like he was kidnapped! Allura went to the bridge and sounded the alarm. Three of the Paladins ran to the bridge, and Allura briefed them on what she believed to be true.

"Uh, he wasn't kidnapped, Princess," Hunk spoke up. "He had a nightmare, and I took him to Lance. I bet he's still there."

Allura turned to the monitors and called up the feed to Lance's room. There lying on the bed were the two remaining Paladins. Lance had his sleep mask on but no headphones, and Keith was curled up against his side. Keith's head was on Lance's shoulder, and Lance had his left arm wrapped around Keith's waist in a protective hold. Blushing slightly at her overreaction, she turned off the alarm.

Pidge adjusted her glasses as she peered at the monitor feed. "They look so peaceful sleeping like that."

"Let's leave them to sleep," Shiro recommended. Allura nodded and deactivated the monitor feed.

%%%

Lance woke up, acutely aware of the little cuddled up next to him. The Cuban teenager smiled. Keith was much easier to get along with when he was regressed. He rather enjoyed the attention the mentally three-year-old gave him as if no one else mattered to him. Lance would be willing to be Keith's Daddy, if Keith wanted him to. He would have to ask, once the little woke up. For now though, he was going to enjoy the cuddling he was getting.

Fin


	140. Misconception (DoM, Thulaz)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chocolate is lethal to Galra, and the Dads freak out when they discover Keith eating it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, and Antok survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. This is also Thulaz.
> 
> Tags: DoM, Chocolate is lethal to Galra but not to Keith, the Dads freak out

"Misconception"

Being tackled by his pack members was never high on Keith's list of things to expect while off of the training deck. It was about as high as Thace snatching his snack; both of which happened in the span of a dobosh.

"Thace, what the quiznack? I was enjoying that," Keith wheezed from under Antok. His profane language earned him a smack from Antok's tail. "Ow!"

"Watch your language, kit, and how could you enjoy something lethal?!"

"Can you get off Antok? I can't feel my spleen!"

Antok's ears pinned back, and he got off his kit. He hauled Keith to his feet and sniffed him to determine if he had accidentally hurt him.

"What is a spleen?" Thace asked.

"Nevermind that. The kit was eating something lethal!" Kolivan reminded them.

"It's just chocolate! It's not lethal!"

"It is extremely deadly to Galra!"

"What is going on in here?" Ulaz entered the lounge.

"Ulaz! Thank the stars! We caught the kit eating chocolate!"

Ulaz sighed. "Thace, love of my life, give the kit back his snack. Chocolate is not lethal for Keith. Humans consume it all the time."

Keith used this opportunity to swipe his chocolate bar back. He took another bite and swallowed it before stating, "Some humans are allergic to chocolate."

Ulaz turned to Keith. "That's not helping, kit."

Keith shrugged and took another bite. "My biology is so strange. Some things are Galran and others are human. I never know which ones are which."

"You would know which are which if you'd let me draw blood," Ulaz pointed out.

Keith stopped mid-bite. "We're not having this conversation in front of my chocolate."

"You can't avoid the med bay forever, kit."

"I can try."

"In that case, as soon as you're done with your snack, I'm carrying you down there."

"You're going to have to catch me then!" Keith wolfed down his chocolate and took off running before the Blades registered what he said.

Fin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note 2: He didn't make it that far. He may have been quick and had a head start, but his pack had longer legs.


	141. Finding Love (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Keith was released from the hospital, he went to visit someone. Worried, the team tried to find him. Lance found him kneeling in front of his Dad's grave and overheard a very important conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is post Season 7 Klance.
> 
> Tags: Klance, Post Season 7, Confessions

"Finding Love"

Lance had heard that Keith had been discharged from the hospital, but no one knew where he disappeared to. He and the other Paladins split up and searched the city for their leader. Lance knew he was still on Earth and wasn't in trouble. Red reassured him that Keith was fine, Black sending the same reassurance to Shiro.

"Do you know where he is, Red?" Lance asked through their bond.

"Yes, my dear Paladin. He's not far from you. Keep going straight for a couple of doboshes and then turn left. You should be able to see him then."

"Thanks, Red."

"You're welcome."

Lance followed his lion's directions and was concerned that he found himself facing the cemetery. He said a little prayer for the dead before stepping onto the sacred ground. He kept an eye out for Keith and managed to spy him kneeling at a headstone. Lance could barely make out the last name on the headstone, which was 'Kogane.' That made Lance stop short. Keith was visiting his Dad's grave and wouldn't want someone disrupting that time. Lance was about to turn around and leave when he heard Keith say his name.

"And then, there's Lance. You would like him, Dad. He's smart, funny, a good team player, handsome...sorry, I shouldn't be going on like this, but I like him. I just don't know how to tell him. I told him during our bonding moment, but he insists that he doesn't remember it, so I don't know if I can ever tell him. We don't have much downtime, especially since we need to help rebuild Earth after repelling Sendak's forces."

Lance was frozen to his spot, unwilling to disturb Keith and unable to leave. Keith chuckled weakly. "Yeah. You're right, Dad. I'm just making excuses. I hope I'll be able to tell him." He smiled. "I'll try to see if I can bring Mom by next time. I better get going before they send someone to come find me. I love you and miss you, Dad."

Keith turned and froze at seeing Lance standing there, his purple eyes wide. "Lance, what are you doing here?...How long have you been standing there?"

"Sorry. I didn't mean to eavesdrop! The team and I were worried when we didn't know where you were."

Keith rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm still not used to people being concerned about me...Did you hear what I was saying?"

"Just the end...where you were talking about me." Lance blushed. "Did you mean everything you said?"

"Of course. I wouldn't lie to my Dad...Can I introduce you?"

Lance was taken aback at the slightly unusual request but couldn't deny him. "Sure."

Keith grabbed Lance's wrist and pulled him over to his Dad's grave. "Hey, Dad, look who came to find me. This is Lance McClain. Yeah, _that_ Lance."

"Hi, Mr. Kogane. I didn't mean to interrupt your time with Keith. We were just worried about him since he just got released from the hospital. Since I'm here, sir, I'd like to ask your permission to date your son."

Keith blushed. "I think he likes that idea as long as you don't hurt me."

"I would rather fling myself into the sun than hurt you, Keith."

"You wouldn't have to go that far. Red would love to incinerate you if you hurt me."

"So, I guess we're boyfriends now?"

"Yeah. Let's go. Dad doesn't want to see the PDA." Keith practically dragged Lance away from the gravesite and out of the graveyard.

Lance managed to withdraw his wrist from his boyfriend's hand and wrap his arm around Keith's waist. "I do apologize for intruding on your time with your Dad."

"I know, Lance, and it's all right. I should have told someone where I was going, but at least, you were the one to find me, and now, we know of our feelings for each other."

"That is something I'm not sorry for. I've crushed on you for so long and didn't think you liked me."

"I've liked you for awhile too, Lance, but I was denying my feelings and figured that you hated me."

"But I never hated you."

"What about the rivalry?"

"Oh, uh, that was me trying to figure out my feelings about you. I didn't realize at first that I loved you. I thought I was jealous of your skills, but then we were thrown into a war, where we were in death defying battles every day, and I didn't know how to tell you of my feelings."

Keith chuckled and wrapped an arm around Lance's waist. "We're a couple of idiots, y'know that? We could've had all this time together, instead of fighting with each other."

"Well, we have the here and now and who knows what the future holds for us, but I love you, Keith."

"I love you too, Lance."

Neither Keith nor Lance realized that they stopped walking and were facing each other. They were mere inches from each other and were leaning closer, about to kiss when...

"Lance! Did you find-oh!"

Lance and Keith jerked back with bright red blushes splashed across their cheeks. "Yeah, Hunk. I found Keith. Now, we're leaving. Bye."

Lance dragged Keith around the corner. "I'm so sorry about that, Keith. He ruined the moment."

Keith wound his arms around Lance's neck. "I don't think it's completely ruined."

Lance smiled, wrapped his arms around his waist, and leaned close. The two Paladins closed their eyes right before their lips met for their first kiss.

Fin


	142. Realization (DoM)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Keith is injured on a Blade mission, it's up to Lance to inform Keith's pack, including his son.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, Antok, and Regris survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. This is a sequel to Volume Three Chapter 157 "Acceptance."
> 
> Tags: DoM, Daddy Keith, De-Aged Kuron, Grandpa Blades, Uncle Lance, Uncle Regris

"Realization"

Keith resisted the urge to allow his eyes to roll into the back of his head. He had been sent on a solo mission that had been a set up, but Keith did manage to get some information. He was fortunate that Voltron was nearby and could catch a ride to the castle. He knew he was going to need some time in a healing pod. His cracked ribs told him that much. He didn't know the extent of his injuries, but that was the last thing on his mind. He tiredly moved his head to look at Lance, who was flying Red back to the castle. "Lance, you need to contact my pack. They need to know that I'm injured. They will want to come. You need to make sure Shiro stays away from my son."

"I can do that, Samurai. You concentrate on resting, and we'll get you into a pod as soon as we land at the castle. Then, I will call your pack."

"Thanks." Keith closed his eyes before darkness overtook him.

%%%

Lance knew Keith was fighting to stay conscious in order to make sure his pack was going to be notified. Even if Keith _hadn't_ asked, Lance was still going to make that call, if for no other reason than to alert Kuron to his Daddy's condition.

Lance landed Red in her hangar and scooped up Keith. He exited the lion and allowed Shiro to take Keith to the med bay. He watched as Coran and Shiro prepped the pod and Keith. Once Keith was in the pod, Lance asked, "How long is he going to be in there?"

"According to the scans, about six vargas, number three. He has quite the number of injuries."

Lance blanched at the answer. That was quite a while. Shiro patted Lance on the shoulder. "He'll be fine. We should use this time to freshen up and change out of our armor."

Lance nodded but hung back, letting Shiro leave the med bay first, an action that caught Allura's attention. "Is something wrong, Lance?"

"Not wrong per se, but Keith asked me to alert his pack to his status. He said that they will want to come aboard and wait for him to be released."

"Naturally."

"His pack includes his son."

Allura understood why Lance looked slightly apprehensive. "I have no issue letting the child stay on board while Keith is recovering. I may not like children, but I won't allow a child to _not_ see his father."

"That helps, Allura. Thanks. I just have to make sure Shiro doesn't go near him."

"I don't think that'll be an issue. From what we've seen, the Blades are quite protective of not only Keith but his son as well."

Lance chuckled. "You don't even know the half of it, Princess. The last time we visited, there were a bunch of Blades, sharpening their swords. They were in the corridors leading to the training hall, where Keith and Kuron were. Now, I need to change and make a call."

%%%

Kolivan was in his office with his grandkit lounging in the nest he kept in the corner. He knew Kuron was restless without Keith at the base, but the kit was due back soon. When his data pad dinged with a request for a video chat from the Castle of Lions, he answered, figuring it was his kit checking in. He was not expecting to see Lance. "Lance?"

Kuron perked up and bounded over. "Uncle Lance?"

"Hi, Kolivan. Hey, kiddo. Um, I wish this was a social call. Keith needed an extraction on his latest mission. He said it 'had been a set up, but he got the information'? He said you would know what that meant. Unfortunately, he got injured. We brought him here, and he's going to be in a pod for about six vargas. He wants you all to come here. Allura has no issues with everyone coming, and I promised Keith that I would also help watch the little guy."

"Daddy's hurt?" Tears appeared in the four deca-phoebes old's eyes.

"Yes, but he'll be okay, buddy. Your pack is going to come visit, so you'll be here when he gets out."

"Send us your coordinates, so we can rendezvous with you."

Lance tapped his chin. "You know, I think I can get Allura to open up a wormhole for you."

Kolivan nodded. "Very well. Give us twenty doboshes to get into position."

Lance nodded and closed the connection. He took a deep breath and let it out, in an attempt to calm himself. That could've got worse than it did. Now, he had to go ask Allura if she'd be willing to open a wormhole. He was fairly certain she would have no problem. He left his room and headed for the bridge. He found Allura standing on her little platform. "Hi, Allura. I just contacted Kolivan. He's gathering Keith's pack, but I was hoping you'd be willing to open a wormhole so they could get here quickly. Kuron was quite distressed to hear Keith was hurt."

Allura's eyes softened at the admission. "Of course. How long do they need to get ready?"

"Kolivan said twenty doboshes."

Allura nodded, and roughly twenty doboshes later, she opened a wormhole, allowing a Marmoran pod to fly through. "Let's go greet Keith's pack and take them to him."

"Actually, Allura, if you could just gather a bunch of pillows and blankets and put them in the med bay near Keith's pod, that would be better. I don't know how the Blades are going to take you being near Kuron, especially since Keith hasn't said anything about it."

"I understand. This is an unusual situation."

"Yeah. Definitely unusual."

Lance and Allura left the bridge and went their separate ways. Lance entered the pod hangar just in time to see Keith's pack exit their pod, Antok holding onto a sniffling Kuron. The tick he saw Lance, he reached out for him. "Uncle Lance!"

Lance slipped Kuron into his arms and gave him a hug. "Hey, kiddo. Do you want to go see your Daddy? He's still healing, but you can see him."

"I miss Daddy."

"I know, kiddo. I know." Lance started carrying Kuron to the med bay with the rest of Keith's pack following.

They entered the med bay, and Kuron's eyes immediately landed on the only occupied pod. "Daddy!"

He jumped out of Lance's arms and ran over to the pod. "Daddy, wake up!" Ulaz hurried over and scooped up the crying kit. "Why won't Daddy wake up?"

"He's in a deep sleep, kit. It's the way the pod works. Once he's all healed up, the pod will open, and he'll be awake. Now, why don't we wait in the nest?"

Kuron nodded, and Ulaz stepped into the nest, settling the kit onto his lap. Kuron looked at Lance, who was looking at Keith's pod. "Daddy's not awake yet, Uncle Lance. Come join us in the nest."

Lance hesitated. "I don't know if I-"

"Get in here, kit," Thace interrupted. "Our grandkit wants you in here, and you're practically family anyway."

Lance was astounded but stepped into the nest as ordered. "I'm family?"

"Kuron calls you his uncle, and Keith considers you a brother," Kolivan stated, pulling Lance close. "Didn't you know that?"

"I didn't know Keith thought that."

"He does, kit," Thace confirmed as he stroked Kuron's hair, which Lance realized was a bit longer than before.

"So, you're growing your hair out, kiddo?"

"Yeah. I like Daddy's hair, and I want my hair like that."

Lance groaned good naturedly. "Nooo. My nephew wants a mullet." He clutched his chest. "My heart can't take it." His grin told the Blades and Kuron that he was mostly joking.

"I know we just got here, but our grandkit needs a nap," Ulaz mentioned.

"But, Daddy-"

"He's still healing, kit."

"Hey, Kuron. If you take a nap, your Daddy might be almost ready to be released," Lance said.

"Really?"

"Really."

"Can I nap with both Uncle Lance and Uncle Regris?"

"I don't mind, kit."

"I'd be delighted, kiddo."

Kuron laid down and was immediately cuddled by Regris and Lance. The little boy closed his eyes and fell asleep quickly. The rest of the pack stationed themselves around their grandkit, Ulaz occasionally leaving the nest to check on Keith's pod.

Four and a half vargas later, Shiro entered the med bay, a smile gracing his face when he saw Ulaz. "Ulaz! It's good to see you."

Ulaz looked from Shiro to the nest, where Kuron was still sleeping. Shiro followed Ulaz's gaze to the nest. He smiled. "Kolivan, Antok, Thace, Keith will be happy to see you guys."

"Shiro, you need to stay back," Thace stated.

"I won't touch the nest. I just wanted to wait for Keith to exit the pod."

"I understand you miss Keith, but he doesn't want you near his kit," Kolivan stated.

"His kit? Who-oh." Shiro caught sight of Kuron sleeping in the nest between Regris and Lance, both who were watching the exchange between Shiro and the Blades.

Suddenly, the pod beeped, and the front disappeared, Keith stumbling out. Ulaz caught him, letting Keith come to on his own. He opened his eyes and saw Ulaz and Shiro in front of him. "Ulaz? Shiro?"

"I'm here, Keith."

"Your whole pack is here, kit."

Keith's eyes widened as what Ulaz said sank in. and they flicked from Shiro to the nest and back. "Shiro, are you okay with my son now? Is that why you can be in the same room?"

"I didn't realize he was here. I had come in to wait for you to come out of the pod."

"Daddy?" Kuron sat up and looked around. "Daddy!"

"I missed you, baby." Keith plucked his son out of the nest and hugged him. Shiro watched as Keith nuzzled his son. The little boy looked less like a younger version of himself and more like a younger version of Keith with a prosthetic.

Shiro smiled. "You worried everyone, Keith, especially your son."

"I didn't mean to."

"We know that," Shiro agreed. "We miss you around the castle, Keith."

"You know why I'm not here."

"I know, and I owe you an apology. I shouldn't have taken out my feelings on a child."

"You mean that, Shiro?" Keith asked.

"I do, and I'm sorry it took me this long to realize that."

Keith stepped closer to Shiro and leaned against Shiro, who put his arms around father and son. Lance hurried out of the nest and joined the hug. "You're not leaving me out of this!"

Keith smiled as he felt two of the people he considered brothers hug him. He started purring in contentment, Kuron joining in, which surprised Shiro. It was one more detail that proved to Shiro that Kuron was more like Keith than he realized.

Fin


	143. Closeness (Sheith)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Why does Keith keep falling asleep on Shiro, and why does Shiro find it cute?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Sheith.
> 
> Tags: Sheith, Tired Keith

"Closeness"

Shiro was relaxing in the lounge with the rest of the team when Keith walked in and sat down next to him. The Black Paladin noticed how Keith tended to sit next to him lately, which confused him. Why would he start doing that? Usually, the Red Paladin would sit next to Lance or Princess Allura.

Familiar weight on his shoulder startled Shiro out of his thoughts. He turned his head to see what was resting on his shoulder, but all he could see was black hair. Only one other person currently on the team had black hair. His eyes trailed down to see if he could confirm that it truly was Keith. The red and white jacket was a dead giveaway.

"Man, Mullet must have been tired to fall asleep on you, Shiro!" Lance exclaimed softly, not wanting to wake Keith.

Shiro's eyebrows raised at his teammate's comment. Keith had fallen asleep?

%%%

Shiro blinked and groaned softly. That still hurt! How did the Galra get so good at shooting things? He had done a few vargas in a healing pod, but he was still sore. He started to sit up, but weight on his stomach stopped him. He craned his neck down and saw black hair framing a familiar face nestled in a pair of arms covered in red. Shiro's eyebrows shot up. Keith was asleep on him again. A smile crept onto Shiro's face. His second-in-command was kind of cute. His face was relaxed in his sleep. Had he stayed by his side since he was brought in?

Footsteps drew his attention from Keith to Princess Allura entering the room. "Oh, Shiro! You're awake."

Shiro put a finger to his lips. "Shh, Princess. Not so loud." He pointed the finger at the still sleeping Keith.

Allura drew a little closer and smiled at Keith's position. "Keith has been here the entire time. He was worried about you. We all were."

Allura pressed a kiss to Shiro's forehead and let a hand drift through Keith's hair lightly as she left. Shiro let his eyes wander back to the Red Paladin's face. Worried about him, huh?

%%%

Shiro entered the lounge and noticed Keith sitting on a couch, reading on his data pad. He approached the couch and sat down next to the raven-haired teen. He unobtrusively observed Keith and noticed he was tired. Shiro nodded to himself and, his mind made up, reached over and plucked the pad from the other's grasp. Keith looked at the other Paladin. "Shiro?"

"Call me Takashi." He grasped Keith's shoulders and guided him to lay his head in his lap. Keith turned onto his side to get comfortable. Shiro started stroking Keith's wild hair, earning a sigh from the teen. "Get some rest, Keith. I've got you." Keith's eyes drifted closed as Shiro continued to stroke his hair.

Fin


	144. Fallen Soldiers 5: Mama Red Lion (Sexus, Klance, Mama Red Lion)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith likes to spend time with Red, who is very protective over him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: It's another installment of BoM Sendak and Haxus. It's Sexus, Klance, and Mama Red Lion.
> 
> Tags: Fallen Soldiers, Sexus, Klance, Mama Red Lion

"Fallen Solders 5: Mama Red Lion"

Keith sighed as he dragged himself into Red Lion's hangar. He smiled when her particle barrier dissipated, her eyes lit up, and she bent down for him to enter. He entered her mouth and walked into her cockpit, sitting in the pilot's chair. "Hi, Red."

"Cub! Are you back? I missed you so much."

Keith chuckled. "Yeah. Lance and I spent some time with my pack. He finally met my mom, and somehow, I developed these." Keith's ears flicked at the end of his explanation.

"You look adorable with your ears, cub." Red purred to Keith until someone entering the hangar caught her attention. She put up her particle barrier and growled at the intruder.

"Red?"

%%%

Sendak was looking for the pack's kit. He had been told that Keith liked to spend a lot of his time on the training deck, but the room was empty. Lance was the one who gave him another idea. "He might be talking to the Red Lion."

Sendak was a little apprehensive about entering the Red Lion's hangar. He didn't know if the lion would hold the time he captured her against him. He had just been following orders while brainwashed. He walked into the lion's hangar, surprised to see her particle barrier down for a moment until it sprung back up into place and a growl reverberated throughout the hangar.

%%%

"Red?" Keith was confused by Red's shift in attitude.

"It's alright, cub. He won't get to either of us."

Keith stood up and peered out of one of Red's eyes. He saw Sendak standing just inside of Red's hangar. "Red, it's all right. He's not here to hurt either of us. He's not evil. He had been brainwashed when you had been captured."

"How can you be sure, cub?"

Keith sat down, closed his eyes, and let Red view the memories he had of Sendak (and Haxus) proving their innocence to him. "See?"

Red still seemed hesitant. "I don't know, cub."

"I'm not saying you have to let him in; just don't incinerate him or his mate on sight."

"I can do that."

Keith grinned and activated the comm, so he could be heard outside his lion. "Sendak, did you need something?"

"Kit? So you are in the Red Lion?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Kolivan tasked me in determining your location. He wants to make sure you aren't using this as an excuse to train more."

"Of course he said that. No, obviously I'm not training. I am talking to Red, who doesn't trust you...or Haxus either. I got her to promise not to incinerate either of you on sight, so maybe let one of our other pack members know where I am, so they can come get me...or send Lance."

"Fair enough, kit. I'll do that." Sendak dipped his head in Red's and Keith's direction before he left.

Keith deactivate the comm and settled back into the pilot's seat. He didn't know if Lance was the one who would come get him or not, but it didn't really matter as they would end up cuddling in the nest that night.

Fin


	145. The Night Before (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prince Lance spends the night before his eighteenth birthday with his fiancée.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is the next installment of my Galtean Klance Bodyguard AU with Altean Prince Lance and Galran Bodyguard Keith. This takes place after "Archery."
> 
> Tags: Galtean Klance, Altean Prince Lance, Galran Bodyguard Keith, Engaged, Protective Keith

"The Night Before"

Lance was almost vibrating in place in excitement. His eighteenth birthday was the next quintant, and all he had to do was get through Coran's lesson, Coran's _boring_ lesson on previous royals. His mind was already on a different topic, his bodyguard and fiancée, Keith.

The half-Galra was not allowed in Coran's class as he didn't prevent Lance from escaping, so he was standing guard outside the room, waiting for Lance to be done...or escape, whichever came first. The tick the door opened, Keith was by Lance's side, his tail wrapping around his waist. He licked Lance's nearest cheek and led him away from the classroom, purring. Lance's Altean marks glowed when Keith licked his cheek, and a blush stained his cheeks, which remained as Keith led him away. Keith had discovered that Lance's blush made him more handsome and was determined to make him blush more often.

Keith led Lance to his rooms and closed the door behind them. Lance was glad that he requested that his birthday celebration be kept to his actual birthday and the following movement as he wanted to spend the night before his birthday with his fiancée. His hands deftly removed Keith's armor and cape, leaving him in just his pants. Keith's hands were just as busy removing Lance's many layers. Lance was just in his pants as he ran his fingers across Keith's furry chest. Keith purred to Lance before he was pushed onto the bed. Lance jumped onto the bed shortly after and went to pounce on Keith, but his bodyguard caught him and pinned him to the bed, Lance squirming slightly. Keith dipped his head and began running his tongue through Lance's hair. His violet and amber eyes were closed as he groomed his fiancée.

Lance stopped squirming as he felt Keith's tongue going through his hair. He had heard of Galra grooming family members and assumed that was what Keith was doing. He managed to get one of his wrists loose and reached up to rub behind Keith's fluffy ears. Keith's tongue stuttered as it was dragged through his hair again. Lance continued rubbing, and his bodyguard dropped onto him. Lance chuckled as Keith purred in contentment.

%%%

Keith wasn't asleep. His instincts were screaming at him that there was a danger to his mate, and he couldn't sleep until the danger was neutralized. He held onto Lance, who was sleeping peacefully, unaware of the imminent danger. Keith's ears picked up the soft footsteps of an intruder. The volume of their footfalls told Keith that they were in Lance's room, close to the foot of the bed.

Keith stealthily unsheathed his blade and threw it. The intruder was caught off guard by a Marmora blade whizzing past his head a tick before Keith tackled him. Keith was still half naked, but it didn't matter as he had trained in a variety of different types of clothing and subdued the intruder. The scuffle alerted the palace guards, whom entered their prince's room and took custody of the intruder. Keith went back to Lance's side and held the prince, who awoke when Keith had tackled the intruder. Lance wasn't scared, because he knew Keith would make sure that nothing and no one was going to disturb him, especially before his big quintant.

Fin


	146. Multi-Universal Traumatic Stress Disorder (Klance, Svakira)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith has a disturbing nightmare, but it's actually not him in the dream. Across the hall, Akira is practically reliving his time as a non-cog.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is another installment of the Guns of Gamara AU. The Paladins are still in that reality. This is Klance and Svakira. 
> 
> Tags: Klance, Svakira, Guns of Gamara, Memories, Nightmare, Shared Trauma

"Multi-Universal Traumatic Stress Disorder"

Keith sat bolt upright, a keen tearing itself from his throat. He was panting heavily. The nightmare was horrible. Fortunately, he was not alone for much longer. His door was forced open, and there was his team with Lance in the front. They filed into the room, Lance rushing forward and wrapping his arms around Keith. Keith clutched his boyfriend, willing his tears to not escape his eyes and failing. Tears fell, sliding down his cheeks and wetting Lance's pajama top. Lance stroked his hair. "Hey, cariño, what's the matter?"

"I-it was horrible. It was like I wasn't in control of my body, and I was forced to kill." Keith started shaking as he recounted his nightmare. The rest of the team crowded around Keith, wrapping their arms around their leader.

"Sounds like someone controlled by the hoktril."

Everyone looked up at Keith's door, and there was Sven.

"Sven? What are you doing here?" Lance asked.

"I heard Keith, but since he sounds like Aki, I hurried over. I heard what he said about his nightmare."

"What is the hoktril?" Allura asked.

"The Altean Empire attached these devices to the base of their enemies' skulls and eliminated their free will, basically turned them into mindless slaves."

"How do you know so much about them?" Pidge asked.

"Because Akira..." Sven looked over his shoulder. "Aki." He turned around and crossed the hall. He forced the door open and entered, the Paladins scrambling to follow him. Sven hurried over to Akira's side, disturbed by the tears flowing down his cheeks, revealing his Altean marks. Sven shook his shoulders, trying to wake him "Aki, Aki, wake up."

Akira awoke with a gasp, his eyes landing on his boyfriend. "Sven?"

"You were having a nightmare, Aki. It's all right." Sven wrapped his arms around Akira.

Akira clutched Sven close. "It wasn't a nightmare. I was remembering...practically reliving my time as a non-cog."

"W-What's a non-cog?" Keith asked, tears still falling down his cheeks but at a much slower pace than before.

Akira looked up. "What are you all doing here?"

"Keith had a nightmare, and we came to comfort him," Lance answered. "Now, answer his question."

"A non-cog is someone who had a hoktril attached," Sven answered. "And yes, Aki had been captured. Slav and I had spent several phoebes looking for him and managed to rescue him two movements before we met you. We managed to get it removed after a movement, but he slipped into a coma. Then, I got shot saving Lance."

Akira lightly cuffed Sven on his shoulder. "Stop getting shot."

"Is that a common occurrence?"

"Sven getting shot? Yes."

"Let's not talk about me. Let's concentrate on your memories, which sounds a lot like Keith's nightmare."

Akira looked at Keith. "What?"

"In my nightmare, I wasn't in control of my body and I-I was forced to kill." Keith looked away, and Lance wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

Akira shuddered. "That's exactly what I was remembering. How did you see it?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's because we are quite similar, just an alternate version of each other." Keith stepped out of Lance's embrace and sat down next to Akira. "Since I have seen your memories, if you ever want to talk about it, I'm willing to listen and not judge. Not that I have any room to judge people on their actions."

"Explain."

Keith smirked. "That's a tale for another time. I think we need to try to get more sleep."

Akira reached out and tugged Keith close. "Thank you for your offer. I think I might take you up on it."

Keith smiled. "Good night, Akira."

Akira released Keith. "Good night, Keith."

The Paladins filed out of the room, Lance following Keith into his room, which caught Keith off guard. "Lance?"

"If you seriously think I'm letting you sleep alone after that nightmare, you need to get your head examined." He laid down on the bed. "Now, come here."

Keith smiled and nodded, climbing into the bed. Lance wrapped his arms around his boyfriend and allowed him to snuggle into his chest.

%%%

Sven watched the Paladins leave before he turned back to his boyfriend. "You heard Keith, Aki. You need to get more sleep."

"I don't know if I can."

Sven laid down on the bed and beckoned him close. "Then, lay here with me. I'll protect you from any dreams that may surface."

Akira smiled and settled into his boyfriend's arms. He closed his eyes and snuggled into his boyfriend's chest with a soft sigh.

Sven kissed the top of Akira's head. "Sleep well, Aki."

Fin


	147. Santa Hats (Team As Family)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance's family has a Christmas tradition of wearing Santa hats, and he wants to share that tradition with his space family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is mostly team as family.
> 
> Tags: Team as family, Traditions, Santa Hats

"Santa Hats"

Lance was so glad Pidge finally managed to make a calendar that had the Earth holidays listed, and his favorite holiday was coming up. He loved all of the holidays, but Christmas was his favorite. He adored giving gifts to friends and family and didn't expect much of anything in return. The recipients' reactions were more than enough, especially when it was something they loved.

He also loved the decorations and holiday-themed clothing, especially santa hats. His family always wore them on Christmas Day and posed in pictures with them on. They had their own personal hats with their style or favorite color showcased on the main part of the hat. Lance had always loved the color blue, so he had a blue santa hat. The hats never failed to bring a smile to the face of the person wearing it, and no one needed to smile more than the Paladins, being thrusted into an intergalactic war they had no idea was happening, so Lance managed to find and purchase six santa hats with signature colors on them. He had a purple one for Shiro, a yellow one for Hunk, a green one for Pidge, an orange one for Coran, a red one for Keith, and a chenille red one for Allura. Originally, he was going to buy the princess a pink one, but then he remembered that pink was the color of mourning on Altea, and he didn't want to give her a santa hat with sad connotations; it would defeat the purpose. He bought her the chenille red one and then embroidered 'princess' on the brim. With the hats tucked safely in a bag, he set out from his room, walking to the bridge to see who was there.

He grinned as he saw Shiro in his Paladin seat and Allura on her little platform. Allura opened her mouth to greet Lance, but Lance silently shushed her. He wanted to see how close he could get to Shiro before his leader noticed him. He wasn't naive enough to believe that he could _actually_ sneak up on Shiro or stupid enough to truly try, but it was an interesting idea. He made it about halfway to Shiro's seat before Shiro said, without turning around, "Whatever you are thinking about doing, Lance, you should probably reconsider it."

Lance grinned and pulled out the purple santa hat. He continued walking to Shiro's seat. "I was just wanting to give you this."

Shiro turned around, saw the santa hat, and smiled. "Thank you, Lance."

Lance handed him the hat, and Shiro put it on, his white floof sticking out from under the hat.

"What is the hat for?" Allura asked.

Lance turned around. "On Earth, there's a holiday called Christmas. It's a time to spend with friends and family, and my family always wore these type of hats, which put a smile on their faces, and I figured we all could use some good cheer."

"That's such a sweet tradition, Lance."

"If you'd like, princess, I have one for you." Lance held out the chenille hat. "Here."

Allura took the hat. "Oh! It's so soft!" She ran her fingers across the embroidery. "Thank you so much, Lance, for including me in your tradition."

"You're welcome, princess. Now, I have to go find the others."

Allura put the hat on and offered, "If you'd like, I can tell you where they are."

"Mullet is probably on the training deck, Pidge is probably in the Green Lion hangar, and Hunk's more than likely in the kitchen, but I don't know where Coran is."

"Right on all counts, and you'll find Coran in the pod room. He's cleaning them."

Lance flinched a little. He never truly got over the time he was trapped in one when the castle was infected by the Galra crystal. "All right. I guess I'll go give the others their hats. Thanks."

He exited the bridge and went to the kitchens. It was the closest location to the bridge after all. He slipped into the room, not wanting to scare Hunk, especially if he was cooking. Fortunately, Hunk was just mixing something in a large bowl. He smiled when he saw Lance walk in. "Hey, buddy."

"Hiya, Hunk. It's almost Christmas time!"

"Yup. I'm making some cookies to share with the team."

"That's awesome! I got santa hats for everyone. Here's yours!" Lance walked over and gently placed the yellow one on Hunk's head.

"Thanks, man."

Lance grinned. "I have hats for everyone. I'm going to go visit Pidgey. I'll be back for the cookies."

Hunk shook the spoon in Lance's direction. "You're not getting any before dinner, Lance."

Lance grinned even wider and skirted out of the kitchen. He practically skipped to the Green Lion hangar, skidding to a stop just outside of the door. He knew better than to enter the hangar without looking inside first. Pidge was known to throw things at whoever disturbed her. He had had a variety of items thrown at him, from a tool she was using all the way to a huge piece of machinery. He suspected Green had helped her toss the piece of machinery, but it truly didn't matter how she did it. Lance had finally learned not to enter the hangar unannounced.

"Hey, Pidge! Are you busy? Can I come in?"

"Yeah. Sure." Pidge's voice didn't come from the Green Lion hangar but from behind him.

Lance screamed and jumped about two feet in the air. He turned around and put a hand to his chest. "Pidgey! You scared me! I thought you were in the hangar!"

"Noted, but I needed my laptop." She led Lance into the hangar. "Now, what's up?"

Lance held up a green santa hat. "I'm giving the team these."

She grinned and snatched the hat, plopping it on her head, slanted. "Thanks. Who haven't you given hats to yet?"

Lance peeked into his bag. "Coran and Keith. Allura told me where they are. I think I should go see Coran first. Mullet is liable to be on the training deck for a while."

"True." Pidge sat down and opened up her laptop.

Seeing as she was about to immerse herself in one of her many current projects, Lance left the Green Lion hangar, heading for the pod room. As long as he didn't have to go into one of the pods, he should be fine. He spotted Coran cleaning the pod that was most recently used.

Surprisingly (or not, depending on who you asked), Keith had needed one after their latest mission. The diplomatic talks usually didn't devolve into a battle, but the talks had been a front for an attack on the princess. Keith saw a spear headed for Allura and had pushed her out of the way. Unfortunately, the spear had pierced his leg. Him being hurt drove the Red Lion to activate and scoop up not only Keith but Allura as well since she was nearby.

Lance shook his head, trying to get the sight of Keith in the pod out of his mind. He approached Coran. "Hey, Coran."

The older Altean looked over his shoulder. "Hello, Number Three!"

Lance grinned. "My family has this tradition for an Earth holiday that is coming up, and I was hoping my space family would like to participate."

"Certainly, my boy." Coran put down his cleaning supplies. "What do I do?"

Lance pulled out the orange hat. "You wear this."

Coran took the hat, looked at Lance, and, noting how his hat sat, put the hat on his head. "Like this?"

Lance grinned. "Yes. Exactly! Now, all I have to do is give this to Mullet, and everyone will have a santa hat!"

"Where is Number Four?"

"Where else, Coran? He's on the training deck."

%%%

Keith sliced through the gladiator, ending the level. He wiped the sweat from his brow as he thought about whether or not he wanted to continue on. Normally, he would just keep going, but he was warned against it by everyone. He had just gotten out of a healing pod a couple of quintants ago after getting his leg skewered by a spear.

He decided to not continue and take a long, hot shower back in his room. He gathered up his jacket and santa hat that he liked wearing. It had been the only nice thing that come out of his stint in foster care. One of the nice families had bought a santa hat for Keith, and the feeling of warmth that came from the memory stayed with Keith, so the first chance he got, he bought a santa hat for himself and wore it around Christmas time.

His shower didn't take too long actually, but drying his hair always did. Even though many people complained about his hair, Keith actually took care of it and liked the length of it. Once his hair was dry, Keith put on his hat and left his room, heading for the kitchen. He knew dinner wouldn't be ready, but surely, there'd be something he could snack on.

%%%

Lance was amazed...at the fact that the training deck was empty. He took a look at the records, which indicate that Keith had been in there but had left earlier than anyone had figured. It seemed like the Red Paladin _had_ actually listened when the team cautioned him against lengthy training sessions when he had _just_ gotten out of a healing pod. However, that presented Lance with a new dilemma. Where was Keith now? The Blue Paladin was determined to give everyone a santa hat, and his rival wasn't going to stand in his way.

%%%

Keith entered the kitchen and wasn't surprised to see Hunk standing there. He seemed to be checking on some cookies cooling on the racks.

"Any of those cooled off yet?"

Hunk jumped slightly and whirled around. "Keith?" His eyes landed on the santa hat adorning the other's head. "I guess Lance found you."

"Lance? Why would he be looking for me?"

"Didn't Lance give you that santa hat?"

"No. I bought this myself."

"No offense, pal, but you don't seem like a guy who would wear a santa hat."

Keith smiled slightly and flicked the white ball off his shoulder. "I guess I don't. It's just one of the only good memories I have when I was in the system."

"I'm glad something good came out of that, buddy, and to answer your earlier question, no. The cookies are not ready yet. They still need to cool a little longer."

Keith shrugged. "Didn't hurt to ask. I was after a snack anyway."

"In that case." Hunk opened the fridge, pulled out a container, closed the fridge, and held it out. "Here."

Keith took the small container and opened it. His eyebrows raised dramatically as he caught sight of what was in the container. It was cucumber slices. He raised his eyes to Hunk's. "How..."

"Shiro. He told me that you liked fresh fruits and vegetables for snacks, and I decided to keep some on hand for you."

"Thank you."

"There you are, Mullet! I-oh. Where'd you get that santa hat from?" Lance was thoroughly confused at the sight of Keith in a santa hat.

Still holding the container of cucumber slices, Keith turned to face Lance and noticed the red santa hat clutched in his hand. "I bought this hat myself, about a deca-phoebe after we left Earth in the Blue Lion."

"I just got these recently for everyone." Lance sounded a little dejected that he couldn't give the hat to Keith.

"I never said you _couldn't_ give it to me, Lance."

Lance seemed to brighten up at Keith's admission. He strolled over to him and furrowed his brows in concentration. He plucked the hat off Keith's head and then settled both hats on Keith's head.

Lance stepped back to look at his handiwork. "Yeah. That'll work."

Keith looked a little ridiculous with both hats on his head at an angle (and somehow them not falling off) in Hunk's opinion, but seeing Lance's giddy expression made it a bit better.

Fin


	148. A Serene Little (Age Regression)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith wakes up from a nap in between head spaces and slightly scared due to a nightmare. Fortunately, Lance is right there for Keith to cuddle with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is age regression with Little Keith and Daddy Lance.
> 
> Tags: Age Regression, Little Keith, Daddy Lance, Nightmare

"A Serene Little"

Keith awoke with a whimper. He had a bad dream and was between head spaces. He had been tired after his workout on the training deck, so he laid down, not expecting to wake up from his nap feeling smaller than when he went to sleep. He slipped out of bed and put on a pair of pullups. He still put on his usual clothes, fumbling with his belt. His door opened, leaving him face-to-face with D-Lance. Keith yelped. "D-Daddy!"

"Keithy? Are you okay, baby?"

"No. Head fuzzy."

"It's okay, sweetheart. Come here." Lance scooped up the little and carried him to his room. Keith nuzzled his Daddy's shoulder and whimpered softly. Lance rubbed his back, while he picked out some simpler clothes. Lance laid Keith down and swiftly switched out his clothes, picking him up soon after. "There you go, sweetheart."

"Daddy." Keith buried his face into Lance's shoulder.

"What is it, baby?"

"Bad dream."

Lance cuddled his little close. "It's okay. Daddy's here. Daddy's got you."

"Don't leave."

"Never, sweety."

Keith nuzzled Lance's shoulder and purred. Lance smiled and rubbed his back soothingly. Keith purring was a sign that his little was calming down, and Lance was all for that.

Fin


	149. New Empress (DoM, Sexus, Mama Red Lion)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Krolia learns that her kit had a nightmare where the Empire had hurt their pack and, after comforting her kit, set out to take down the Empire. She succeeded and is now Empress.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This could be considered a sequel to Volume One Chapter 162 "Distressed Kit," where the Blades find out how scary "Mama Krolia" can be, especially when Keith has a nightmare. Keith is about three in this story. It is also Sexus and Mama Red.
> 
> Tags: DoM, Sexus, Mama Red Lion, Mama Krolia, Kit Keith, Krolia takes over the Empire, Sequel

"New Empress"

Krolia was sitting on her throne as her kit played on the floor in front of her. He was sitting on a large yet soft red blanket with some toys and simple books in Galran. He didn't realize that they didn't live at headquarters anymore. All he knew was that there were a lot of Galra at this new place, some he knew (like Kolivan, Antok, Thace, Ulaz, and his Mama) and some he didn't (like the one with the scary looking arm [Sendak], a short one with funny ears [Morvok], a mean looking one with a weird eye [Branko], and a couple of females who didn't look _as_ scary but they weren't nice either [Ladnock and Trugg]). Krolia made sure no one mistreated her kit or her pack, especially since she had taken over the empire.

Even though Ulaz had said it in jest, Krolia had indeed taken down the Empire; all because her kit had nightmares about the Empire hurting their pack. Once Krolia heard about the nightmares, she, after calming down her kit, set out and took down not only Zarkon but Lotor as well. She banished Haggar and her druids and recalled every commander and his/her lieutenant. She even defeated everyone at the Kral Zera and lit the flame, legally becoming Empress of the Empire with her son becoming a Prince, not that the kit was exactly aware of this. He had heard some of the Galra calling him a prince, but he just thought it was a nickname like his pack calling him a kit.

"Empress Krolia, you have a visitor," Thace announced as he stuck his head inside the door.

"Friendly?" Krolia inquired.

"Debatable," Thace replied.

Krolia nodded at the response. It was the standard reply when one of the commanders wanted a word. It gave her a chance to relocate her kit from the floor to her lap. Krolia scooped up her kit, nudging the blanket off to the side, where it wouldn't be in the way of the commander. She sat back down on the throne and settled her kit on her lap. Keith snuggled against his Mama and purred, happy with the affection. "See him in." Krolia nuzzled her kit gently. "Let see who comes in, my kit."

Not quite surprisingly, it was Sendak who entered. What was a surprise was that his lieutenant, Haxus, was by his side. Sendak and Haxus knelt down before Krolia. "Empress, thank you for seeing us."

"What do you need?"

"The...previous ruler had us trying to locate the Voltron lions. We have only located the Red Lion. However, it does not respond to any of my men."

"Leave it here at central in an unused hangar. I will see to it personally, but do not attempt to locate any more of the lions. They are perfectly safe at their current locations and should not be disturbed until their Paladins come searching for them."

"Yes, Empress."

"Is that all?"

"No, Empress. I was hoping to be allowed to insist that Haxus and I be the only Galra on my flagship."

"That is an unusual request. Why do you wish it?" Krolia leaned forward a little. "Are you two mates?"

"Empress?"

Krolia grinned. "You _are!_ Well, that's okay. If you wish for you and your mate to be the only Galra on your flagship, that is fine, but I do not have an issue with you two being mates."

"Thank you, Empress."

"If that is all, you two are dismissed."

Sendak and Haxus bowed to Krolia and were almost out the door when they heard a tiny voice call out, "Bye bye, Sen, Hax!"

The two Galra almost stumbled at the voice of the little prince. He hadn't spoken in front of them before, let alone _to_ them. Sendak turned around to look at the little kit, who was actually waving to them. The commander gave a small wave back to the kit with his right hand. The smile on the kit's face was blinding. Maybe this new Empire wouldn't be as bad as everyone seemed to think, especially since it came with such a cute prince.

%%%

Krolia smiled as her kit waved at the lieutenant and commander, who waved back. Once they were out of sight, she looked at her kit. "Let's go see the Red Lion, sweetheart. Make sure she is as comfy as Blue is."

Krolia carried Keith through the halls of central, passing by Blades and Empire Galra alike. Most of the Blades reached out and petted Keith's headfur as they passed, Keith purring in response to the affection. Once Krolia and Keith reached the unused hangar, she set Keith on his feet as she gazed at the Red Lion. She was smaller than Blue but no less majestic. She approached the particle barrier but made no move to touch it. She knew she was no Paladin, but she wanted to make sure the lions were safe for whoever was destined to fly them.

Suddenly, the particle barrier shimmered and then disappeared. Krolia took a step back and realized that Keith had come up beside her and touched the barrier. Since it had reacted to him, it meant that he was destined to be the Red Paladin!

The Red Lion bent down and let Keith pet her. "Hello, little cub."

"Cub?"

"Kit, who are you talking to?"

"The Red Lion, Mama. She called me a little cub."

"Is this your mother, little cub?"

"Uh huh. She's the bestest mama in the universe!"

Krolia blushed at her kit's comment.

"I sense a connection to another lion."

"Oh, we saw Blue on Earth."

"We protected the Blue Lion until my mate passed away. We were forced to flee after that," Krolia clarified.

"I'm glad Blue had someone to watch over her. She is the most open of us lions. If she wanted to remain on Earth, it must mean her Paladin is on Earth," Red said to both Keith and Krolia.

Krolia had gasped when she heard Red in her head. She hadn't thought that the lions would talk to anyone who wasn't their Paladin. Just then, Keith yawned, attracting both Red's and Krolia's attention.

"Are you tired, little cub?"

Keith nodded. "I'm sleepy."

Krolia scooped up her kit. "Let's head back to the nest for a nap, kit."

Keith looked up at Krolia. "Can we come see Red again?"

"Of course. She is here to stay, especially since you are destined to fly her one day."

"Yay!" Keith yawned again. "Bye Bye, Red. See you later!"

"Sleep well, little cub. We will see each other again."

Keith laid his head on his Mama's shoulder as Krolia carried her tired kit out of the hangar and Red Lion put up her particle barrier to keep anyone who wasn't her little cub away from her until he was old enough to learn how to fly.

Fin


	150. A Kit's Purr (DoM)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Krolia didn't like being idle in the nest, but the presence of her twins and their brother make it better, especially since she was reunited with her youngest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, Antok, and Regris survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith, Acxa, and Regris their kits. Krolia is here as Keith's mom and pack member. Acxa is here as Keith's twin and pack member. 
> 
> Tags: DoM, Napping, Nest, Acxa and Keith are twins, Regris is a good big brother, Mama Krolia, Touch-Starved Keith

"A Kit's Purr"

Krolia was laying in the nest, waiting for her three kits to return. Regris was with Thace in the communications room, helping out, and her twins were in training hall B with Kolivan. She wasn't quite sure what her twins were doing but was certain that Kolivan had everything in hand. She would normally be up and about the base, training new Blades, but she had just finished a long term undercover mission, and protocol dictated that she took at least a phoebe off. She spent most of her time in the nest with her twins, whom she had just been reunited with. Her pack had another kit, who was almost an adult, but she basically adopted him as well.

Suddenly, the door to the nest opened, and Kolivan walked in carrying both of her twins. She let out a questioning noise, to which Kolivan responded to with a rumble. She relaxed. The twins had simply tired themselves out and fell asleep on the way back to the nest. Kolivan had noticed how tired they were and had scooped them up, even though it was a little difficult due to their longer limbs.

Kolivan gently set the dozing kits in the nest near their mother. Krolia tugged Keith into her lap and nosed his hair. She had been forced to leave him on Earth with her mate and go back into space with her daughter. She regretted separating the twins and leaving her son and mate, but at least, nineteen deca-phoebes later, she got to reunite with her son. She was devastated that her mate had died, leading her youngest kit to be touch-starved.

A soft whimper from Keith drew her attention. Krolia recognized that whimper. He was wanting his siblings near. Krolia rolled over, so Keith was next to Acxa, her scent calming him a little. Krolia looked at Kolivan. "Could you send Regris here?"

Kolivan nodded and left the nest. Krolia waited for Regris to make his way to the nest and started grooming Keith's hair. She noticed that Acxa was nuzzling her twin, calming him down even more, even though he wasn't purring yet.

A rumbling purr drew Krolia's attention to Regris's arrival. "Come here, Regris."

"Is everything okay?" Regris asked, climbing into the nest.

Krolia tugged him closer. "Yes. Your siblings tired themselves out with Kolivan. Keith really wants you and his sister here with him, and you should take a break as well. You are technically still a kit."

Regris nuzzled Krolia before laying with his siblings, wrapping his tail around one of Keith's legs. Since he could feel and smell his siblings nearby, Keith was able to relax fully, and all three kits started purring as Regris fell asleep. Krolia smiled as the nest was filled with the purrs of sleeping kits. She had never dreamed that she would get to hear the purrs of her twins again, and now that she had, she would do whatever it took to never be separated from them and their brother again.

Fin


	151. Inclinations (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance runs across his boyfriend napping in the lounge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Klance with a more Galran looking Keith.
> 
> Tags: Klance, Galra Keith, Purring Keith, Sleepy Klance

"Inclinations"

Lance was walking by the lounge on his way to the kitchen, when he heard a sound that made him pause, a smile coming to his face. He peeked into the lounge to make sure he had heard correctly. Indeed, he had. Keith was laying on the couch, apparently asleep if his purr was anything to go by. Sometimes, Lance couldn't believe that they were boyfriends, or mates as Galra called them. Keith was looking more Galran lately.

Initially, the Red Paladin was worried that Allura would hate him again since his heritage was now visible, but it wasn't the case. The princess had truly gotten over her hatred of Galra and didn't hate Keith for his looks. Keith had short, light purple fur all over; a long, thin, purple tail; a pair of darker purple cheek strips; fluffy, purple ears; and sharp fangs, but his eyes were still the same; white sclera with purple irises and black pupils. He also made a lot of Galran sounds as well. According to the Blades, Keith was still a kit and was prone to making certain noises like purrs, whimpers, whines, questioning noises, growls, and hisses. Keith wasn't one to actually growl or hiss at anyone. He was more likely to purr or make questioning noises unless he was on a mission. He was eeriely silent when he moved.

The purr changing in tone drew Lance from his thoughts. Keith had moved in his sleep, which caused his purr to deepen. Lance smiled and entered the lounge. He went over to the couch and laid down on top of Keith. Lance found Keith to be comfortable to lay upon due to his fur being really soft.

Keith didn't have any issue with Lance laying on him. Being more Galran looking let him support more weight. He loved Lance laying on him. He took comfort from feeling Lance on top of him and smelling Lance's unique scent of ocean water and vanilla, reminding Keith of a vanilla espresso. When he realized that Lance was laying on him, Keith would wrap his tail around Lance's waist. It provided Keith with the comfort of having his mate as close as possible, even being asleep didn't stop him from doing this.

It wasn't the only thing that Keith did that was new. Keith also took to grooming Lance's hair, especially when they got back from a rough mission. Keith could feel the tension in his mate's shoulders and started grooming, in hopes of easing the tension. At first, Lance didn't understand what Keith was trying to do until Keith paused and explained what he was doing. Lance allowed Keith to continue grooming him as it also soothed the part Galra.

Lance couldn't keep his eyes open as he laid on Keith, whose purr lulled him to sleep. Keith's tail had wrapped itself around Lance's waist, and Keith continued purring in contentment as he and Lance napped in the lounge.

Fin 


	152. Not As It Seems (DoM)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Krolia wakes up from a horrific nightmare where Keith died saving her. To her delight, her beloved kit is alive in their familial nest with the rest of their pack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, Antok, and Regris survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith, Acxa, and Regris their kits. Krolia is here as Keith's mom and pack member. Acxa is here as Keith's twin and pack member. This is a sequel to Volume 4 Chapter 24 "Death of A Kit," where Keith had died. This sequel changes the death from real to a horrific nightmare for Krolia. 
> 
> Tags: Nightmare, Botched Mission, Hurt, Comfort, Keith and Acxa are twins, Sequel

"Not As It Seems"

Krolia sat bolt upright, a keen tearing itself from her throat. The sound disturbed everyone who was asleep in the nest. Krolia had tears pouring down her face as she panted, the nightmare still lingering on her mind.

Keith crawled over to his mother and let out a questioning noise. "Mama?"

Krolia focused on her youngest kit, who was sitting in front of her with his head cocked. "Keith? Kit, you're alive!"

"Of course, I am, Mama. I didn't die."

Krolia drew Keith into her arms and nosed his hair, murmuring, "My kit, my beloved kit."

Keith let his mom dote on him as he understood that she must have had a nightmare where he had died. He knew how horrible nightmares could be, and if holding him helped her, then he was okay with that.

"I'm here, Mama." Keith nuzzled her neck, purring to her, wanting to help calm her down. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"We were all on a mission, and we had run into a druid. I was cornered and about to die, when you, my sweet kit, flung yourself in the path and took the hit yourself. Kolivan killed the druid, but you had still died in my arms, Keith," Krolia recounted, shaking from the horrific events.

Keith scooted closer to Krolia, grabbing one of her hands and placing it on his chest. "You feel that, Mama? My heart is still beating strongly, and my breathing is steady. I am alive, and our pack is all around us. We are all alive and safe."

Krolia did indeed feel the strong heartbeat and steady breathing of her youngest kit, completely opposite of the kit in her nightmare. Her kit was alive and well and hadn't died saving her life on a mission. Krolia lifted her head from where it was buried in Keith's hair and looked Kolivan dead in the eyes. "My kits and I are not going on any missions for the next movement."

Kolivan understood why she said that and had no problem granting her request. The death of a kit was a horrible blow to the kit's pack, but Keith's death would have been a massive blow to not only the pack, but the entire organization, the Coalition, AND Voltron itself.

Fin


	153. Midnight Feeding (Krolia/Keith's Dad)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Krolia feeds her babies and pleads with her mate to flee with them to the stars, but Calvin Kogane can't just up and leave, even if it was just for the sake of his babies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is pre-canon with Krolia and Keith's Dad (named Calvin) with their twin babies, Acxa and Keith. Keith looks more Galran.
> 
> Tags: Pre-Canon, Krolia/Keith's Dad, Baby Keith, Baby Acxa, Keith and Acxa are twins, Galra Keith, Purring Keith, Breastfeeding, Injuries, Departure, Sad

"Midnight Feeding"

Krolia wasn't more thankful that her mate's house was in the middle of the desert and had no neighbors than when her twins woke up in the middle of the night, crying. She scooped up both Acxa and Keith, whose crying quieted considerably simply by being near their mother. She quickly uncovered her chest and allowed her babies to latch on and drink from her. She had to take care of both of her babies as her mate was severely injured from when they protected the Blue Lion. She would have left when the Empire scouts came, but her mate being injured and them having two tiny kits to care for prevented her from actually leaving. She knew she had to and take both babies with her as they looked alien enough to make staying on Earth impossible.

The elder twin, Acxa, was completely Galran in appearance, but the younger twin, Keith, had some Galran features and some human features. Keith had the pale skin of his father's race and the human eyes, though the purple iris color came from his mother's side. He inherited Krolia's cheek stripes and hair color. He received the recessive gene for fluffy ears. Both babies did indeed have teeth, including tiny fangs, but Krolia was lucky that they didn't bite when they drank from her.

"'Lia? Is that the babies?"

"Shh, Cal. It's all right. They were just hungry."

Calvin struggled to sit up to see his children, but Krolia purred to him, handing him Keith, who had fallen back asleep. Calvin carefully cuddled his son close, stroking his mostly purple headfur soothingly. A tiny purr escaped the young kit, not surprising the father at all as it wasn't the first time his son had purred. Krolia had explained what Galran kits were capable of, and Calvin had looked up what human babies were capable of, so no matter what the twins did, the new parents would be as prepared as they could be.

"How are you feeling, Cal?"

"Better than yesterday. I actually should be able to get out of bed."

"We need to leave, so I can report back to the Blades. I was hoping you'd leave with me to help with the twins."

"I thought we talked about this, 'Lia. I can't just up and leave. People would ask too many questions. I have had a few questions when I started buying baby supplies, but I managed to avoid too many by shopping for them at stores in a different city. I can't leave, but I know you guys can't stay much longer."

"I can't take care of our babies by myself."

"What about your pack? Wouldn't they help?"

"Yes, but until I get back to headquarters, I will have to pilot and take care of them alone."

"It's our only option, 'Lia."

Krolia sighed. She had been afraid of this. "I guess I should leave once these two have been fed again in the morning."

"At least they fall back asleep after being fed and are young enough to not remember being on Earth." The unspoken statement of not remembering him hung in the air between the couple, making it difficult for the them to fall back asleep; something that the babies didn't have issues with.

Fin


	154. Eyes On The Stars (DoM)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith takes a trip into his memories and sees his child self visiting his Dad's grave. The child Keith looks so sad that Paladin Keith can't help but try to comfort him, even though it was proven that he couldn't interact with the memory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, and Antok survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. 
> 
> Tags: DoM, Memories, Kid Keith, Abused Keith

"Eyes On The Stars"

Keith turned around, trying to determine where he was. His heart was pounding in his ears as he recognized the place. He was standing in a cemetery, and not just any cemetery, but the one where his Dad was buried. He took a subconscious step in the direction of his Dad's grave when he heard the last voice he wanted to hear.

"Here you are, brat. Take your time. When you are done, my family will be in town."

Keith flinched, remembering what happened that day. He had managed to get his foster family to drop him off at the cemetery, but they didn't come back for him. He managed to get back to the house and packed his meager belongings and left the house. It was the last foster family he had and had lived at the orphanage until Shiro had recruited him for the Garrison.

Keith heard soft shuffling footsteps coming in his direction. He saw his child self walking with his head down. Keith looked at the injuries on the child. He wasn't as beaten up as he remembered. Maybe it was one of the better days? In any case, there were still scrapes on his legs and on his left cheek. There were probably scrapes and bruises on his arms, because the child was wearing a long sleeved red shirt.

Keith had been so caught up in looking at his child self that he forgot to move out of the path, but it ended up not mattering as child Keith passed right through him like he wasn't even there. Paladin Keith blinked and patted his body. He sure felt solid to himself, but at least the child couldn't feel him. He watched as the child approached his Dad's grave. He stood there, and Keith saw the child's lips move but couldn't hear the words, even though he knew what he was saying.

He didn't want to intrude of the child's time with his Dad, but when he sank down to his knees, Keith couldn't help but approach him. By the time Keith got to the child, he was sitting down with his knees drawn up to his chest and his head down on his arms which were wrapped around his knees. Paladin Keith could tell the boy was crying. Even though he knew the child couldn't feel him, Keith couldn't help but sit down behind the child.

"You'll be all right, Keith. Even if the entire world is against you," Keith laughed. "Especially if the entire world is against you, keep your eyes trained on the stars, where there's a group of beings who love you." Keith reached out and placed a gentle hand on the child's shoulder.

The child's head jerked and startled Keith. "Pop? Is that you?" The child's gaze flicked from the gravestone to the sky. "Thanks, Pop. I'll remember your words. Eyes on the stars."

How had the child heard him? Keith reluctantly removed his hand, stood up, and backed up from his child self, who was no longer crying. At least this impromptu trip into his memories was beneficial.

"Kit? It's time to come back."

Keith smiled. His pack was calling for him to come back. Keith looked at the smiling child one last time before the cemetery faded away, being replaced by the training deck with the Paladins and his pack nearby. Keith took off the mind melding device with a small yet sad smile on his face.

"Kit, are you all right?" Thace asked.

"Yeah. I am." He looked up at his pack and noticed all four looked like they wanted to wrap him up in a hug. "It's all right, guys, if you want a hug."

Ulaz was the first one to reach Keith, Thace arriving a tick later. They wrapped their arms around their kit. Kolivan walked up to the group and placed a hand on top of Keith's head. Antok rushed over and wrapped his entire pack up in his arms. Keith purred to his pack, happy to be back with his family.

Fin


	155. Prank War (Mama Krolia, Adashi)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A prank war erupts between Shiro and Adam.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is a set of one shots for the Mama Krolia series depicting Keith's adventures on Earth and/or at the Garrison.
> 
> Tags: Mama Krolia, Adashi, Pranks, Keith gets tired of it

"Prank War"

When Keith woke that morning, he had no clue how crazy that day was going to be. The first clue should have been Shiro sputtering. Keith had stepped into the kitchen and a strange scene. Shiro's usual mug of coffee was sitting on the counter, and Shiro was coughing harshly, while Adam was laughing. Keith blinked. "What's going on?"

"I...haha...switched the...haha...sugar and salt," Adam gasped between bouts of laughter.

Shiro scowled. "Ruining a perfect cup of coffee, and Adam, it...is...on."

Adam grinned, holding his hand out. "May the best man win."

Shiro grinned back and took his hand, and they shook on it. "Oh, don't worry. I will."

Still not sure what was going on, Keith asked, "Should I be worried?"

Shiro and Adam released their hands and turned as one to look at Keith. "Oh don't worry, Keith. Adam and I do a prank war with each other every so often, and we _never_ include anyone else, so we will not prank you."

Keith relaxed. "Well, today should be interesting then."

%%%

When Adam left the apartment for some groceries so he could make one of Keith's favorite meals, Shiro took the time to enact his revenge. He grabbed some temporary hair dye, put it in the empty bottle of Adam's shampoo, and hid the current bottle, putting the prank bottle in the usual spot. He knew Adam would take a shower after he put away his groceries; he always did.

True to Shiro's plan, Adam did take a shower. Nothing appeared to be amiss until Adam caught sight of his reflection in the mirror. His hair was now a vivid blue. "TAKASHI!"

Shiro's laughter reached Adam's ears. A shirtless Adam stormed over to his fiancée. "How am I supposed to teach my class with blue hair?"

"It's temporary...haha...hair dye, and you're off...haha...for the next two...haha...days."

"You're going to get it."

"So you say."

%%%

Shiro and Keith went out on their hover bikes, which gave Adam ample time to set up his prank. Not everyone knew that Shiro's birthday was February 29th, which meant he was born on the leap year. His fiancée had only had his birthday six times. Adam was going to kid proof the apartment, specifically the living area.

A few hours later, Shiro and Keith came back, breathless with exhilaration. Keith had finally beaten Shiro in a race on their bikes. He loved riding his father's bike.

Adam appeared, looking at the two adrenaline junkies. "You two need showers. Keith, you go first."

"O...kay." Keith hurried off to take his shower.

Shiro followed Adam into the living room and paused at the doorway. "Adam, what is all this?"

"I realized our apartment was not safe for a kid."

"You know that Keith is sixteen, right?"

"But, you're just six, Takashi."

Shiro groaned. "Adam."

%%%

While Adam was cooking, Shiro set up the next prank. He snuck onto Adam's laptop and put his next trick into effect.

Once dinner was over, Keith went to wash the dishes, and Adam went to work more on his lesson plans. He turned on his laptop and waited for everything to boot up. He then clicked on the word document, but instead of opening the program, a pop up window appeared. He stared at the pop up window but was startled when an upbeat song started playing. Adam's eye twitched, and he moved to click on the 'x' button, but when he clicked on it, another window opened, playing the same song. He twitched again, clicking the 'x' button on the new window, but it yielded the same result. He continued clicking the 'x' buttons two more times, before he yelled out, "TAKASHI!"

Shiro started laughing again, almost falling off the couch. "Click with the right button, and it'll go away."

Adam huffed and proceeded to click on the 'x' buttons.

%%%

Keith rolled his eyes as he washed, dried, and put away the dishes. The pranks were getting on his nerves, and the yelling was hurting his ears; they were sensitive after all. He figured that putting an end to the prank war would be a good idea, but what could he do?

%%%

Keith retreated to his room after finishing the dishes. He locked his door and pulled out his mom's blade, fiddling with it as he thought. Dousing the mated pair in something would be a good idea, but how would he do it? Hmm. Maybe dousing wouldn't be the best idea as it would be a mess to clean up. Still the idea of covering them in an easy to clean substance was still appealing.

Then, an idea came to him. Before he left home, his eldest brother, Regris, taught him about technology, and Keith found tinkering with it relaxing in a way. Keith figured he could rig a device to cover the mates in...what was that stuff called? It was made of small pieces of shiny paper...confetti! He didn't have long to make the delivery system and to set it up, but he did have the best chance at that moment. He had collected pieces of tech he found in his father's shack and stashed them in his room. He sheathed his mom's blade and tucked it back under the mattress. He needed to act fast.

%%%

Keith quickly set up the contraption and settled himself in the living room, which had been un-kid proofed. He eyed everything to make sure it was set up properly before he called out, "Hey, Shiro, Adam, can you come here for a moment?"

"Sure!" Shiro called back. Keith heard two sets of footsteps walking through the apartment and readied himself. He just had to wait for the pair to enter the room. He knew which doorway they would use since the only other opening led to the kitchen.

It didn't actually take much longer for Shiro and Adam to enter the living room, which is what triggered the contraption and cover the duo in confetti. The mated pair stood in shock as the confetti floated down around them.

"Keith?"

"Did you-"

"Yes. I hope this puts an end to the prank war for today. Next time you intend on doing another prank war, inform me ahead of time, so I can make other arrangements for the day."

Fin


	156. Adorable Mate (Keitor)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith returns to the castle after a Blade mission, but he's a kid. At least he remembers everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Keitor.
> 
> Tags: Keitor, Mates, De-Aging, Kit Keith, Galra Keith

"Adorable Mate"

Lotor looked at the child in his arms and then turned to the older Altean. "Are you sure?"

"Of course, I'm sure! The substance just has to work itself out of his system."

Lotor looked at the napping raven-haired child who had been his nineteen-deca-phoebe-old mate earlier that quintant. He had gone on a Blade mission, and Kolivan had come back with the child in his arms, clinging to his braid until he saw Lotor. He had chirped and reached out for him. Lotor had picked him up, and Keith had snuggled against him and purred. Lotor was just glad that his mate still recognized him. "May we leave?"

"Oh of course. Just keep him safe."

Lotor bristled at the comment. As if he wouldn't keep his little mate safe. He carried the little kit to their nest and laid down with him still in his arms. He nuzzled the kit's hair gently, eliciting a slightly louder purr from him, and lovingly caressed his cheek stripes. Keith had been so excited when some Galran features showed up, and Lotor found it adorable. Keith now had purple fluffy ears nestled into his hair, purple cheek stripes, and small fangs. There weren't a lot of features, but Keith was happy with them, so Lotor was happy for him.

A varga later, Keith opened his eyes and smiled. His mate was still holding him. It was slightly annoying that he was a little kit again, but at least he still remembered everyone. He wiggled slightly and nuzzled Lotor's head.

"Keith?"

"Hi." Keith paused before adding, "Can we go play fight?"

Lotor smiled. His mate was adorable. "Of course."

%%%

Keith grinned and flung himself at Lotor's chest, jumping at the last tick, which effectively catapulted him over his shoulders. Readjusting his body's position midair, Keith grabbed ahold of Lotor's shoulders and tried to bring him down, using gravity to his advantage. His plan to bring down his mate failed spectacularly when Lotor grabbed Keith's leg, yanking his mate forward. Lotor grinned as he held Keith upside down at arm's length by his ankle. Keith struggled to get down, pulling at Lotor's fingers. He managed to pry his leg free and, instead of falling, executed a graceful backflip off of Lotor's hand. Landing in a crouch, Keith paused, trying to gauge what Lotor was going to do.

Keith was done waiting and ran at him again. Lotor grabbed him and gently slammed him into the mat, tickling him. Keith started laughing and shrieking, thrashing about wildly in an attempt to escape the carefully ticking claws. Lotor only tickled him until Keith was having trouble drawing breath. He scooped up his little mate and nuzzled him, letting him calm down. Keith was able to catch his breath and started purring to his mate before he yawned.

"Tired, my mate?"

"Yeah."

"Then, let's go lay down." Lotor carried Keith back to their nest. Lotor reclined in the nest, and Keith curled up against his side, falling asleep relatively quickly. Lotor stroked his hair as his mate purred. As adorable as little Keith was, Lotor missed his fiery mate and couldn't wait until he was back to normal.

Fin


	157. Resting (Shance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro told everyone to relax but wasn't following his orders himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Shance with Alpha Shiro and Omega Lance.
> 
> Tags: Shance, Alpha Shiro, Omega Lance, Resting

"Resting"

Lance stretched languidly including a jaw popping yawn. It had been awhile since any of them got to relax. Right now, though, Lance was really wanting his Alpha to join him. The man had told everyone to relax but didn't follow his own instructions. Lance sighed and bit back a whine. If he wanted Shiro, he was going to have to go get him himself.

%%%

Shiro was seated in his Paladin seat, going over scans of the sector they were currently going through, when the door opened. He glanced over his shoulder, though he hadn't needed to. The scent was clearly Omega, and, even though Lance wasn't the only Omega on the ship, Shiro knew his scent intimately.

"Lance, is everything all right? I told everyone to rest."

"Then why aren't you?"

"Someone has to be on the bridge."

"Why does that someone have to be you?"

Shiro turned around in his seat. "Lance, what's wrong?"

"I can't really relax."

"What about cuddling with...oh, wait. He's with the Blades."

"I don't want to cuddle with Keith. I want _you!"_

Shiro stood up and drew Lance closer to him. "Is that right, Omega?"

Lance practically purred in Shiro's embrace. "Yes, Alpha."

"Well, then. Who am I to deny you?" Shiro cooed in Lance's ear.

Lance felt like butter in his Alpha's arms. "Please come with me, Alpha."

"Of course, Omega." Shiro scooped up Lance into his arms and carried him off the bridge.

Fin


	158. Snuggling (Shklance, Mama Black, Mama Red)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Black Lion and Red Lion want their Paladins to rest and what better way than to get them to rest with them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Shklance, Mama Black Lion, and Mama Red Lion.
> 
> Tags: Shklance, Mama Black Lion, Mama Red Lion, Galra Keith, Snuggles

"Snuggling"

Keith was relaxing in the lounge with Lance when they heard a roar in their minds. Lance looked at Keith. "Did you hear-?"

"Yeah. It's Red. She wants us." He stood up, holding a hand out to help Lance up but paused as he heard another roar. "Black?"

"Does she want you too?"

"Yeah. She says Shiro's already there."

Lance grasped Keith's hand and was hauled to his feet. The two Paladins went to Red's hangar but found it empty. "I guess she's in Black's hangar?"

Keith nodded. "It would make sense."

The two traveled to Black's hangar and saw both Black and Red Lions there, Red tucked against Black's side. Shiro was reclined against Black's front paws with his eyes closed. Keith and Lance grinned. It was rare to see their boyfriend so relaxed. Red noticed her Paladins had entered and purred to them, urging them to sit between Black's paws with Shiro. Lance sat down on one side of Shiro and Keith on the other side. Nudging against their bonds with Red told them that the lion wanted them to join her in the space where lion and Paladin can freely interact. Keith and Lance closed their eyes, which made it easier to interact with the lions.

Keith and Lance appeared next to a large, fluffy black lioness and a less large but no less fluffy red lioness with Shiro reclined against the black lioness. They joined Shiro with Lance laying against Red and Keith reclined between the two lionesses. Keith wrapped his arms around his boyfriends' waists. Red maneuvered her head down and alternated between nuzzling Lance's head and grooming Keith's hair. Red draped her tail across her two Paladins' laps. Black Lion also draped her tail across her two Paladins' laps. Black nuzzled Shiro and Keith, when Red wasn't grooming him. The affection from both lions and his boyfriends caused Keith to start purring.

Keith's purring didn't surprise either lion or either Paladin. All four were used to the Red Paladin purring, which hadn't really started until he had accepted his Galran heritage. Keith had been worried about Shiro's reaction to his acceptance of his heritage, but his fears were unfounded. Shiro assured him that he wouldn't even care if Keith had _looked_ Galra, since he knew Keith before they knew of his heritage. Lance absolutely adored Keith's purr as did the lions, who always responded with purrs of their own.

Lance snuggled into Keith's side with a sigh, Keith's purr soothing him. He always liked cuddling with both of his boyfriends and knew they liked cuddling with him too.

Fin


	159. Overprotective (DoM, Regeith)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regris and Keith find out that they are expecting, which sends Regris into an overprotective state.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, Antok, and Regris survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. This is Regeith with a pregnant Keith.
> 
> Tags: DoM, Regeith, Instincts, Pregnant Keith

"Overprotective"

Regris nuzzled his mate as he slept in the familial nest. It was the first time Keith was allowed back in the familial nest. When Regris and Keith found out that they were going to have a kit of their own, Regris got all overprotective and kept Keith in their personal nest, keeping him away from everyone else. When Keith asked him about it, Regris apologized and explained that it was an instinctual reaction. Their pack understood and respected Regris's reaction but also missed them in their nest. It took one phoebe for Regris's instincts to settle and for the two of them to return to the familial nest.

The door to the nest room opened, and Thace walked in. He paused and blinked. He opened his mouth, but before he said anything, Regris shushed him. "Shh, he's resting."

Thace nodded and entered the nest, settling down next to Keith. He bent over and nosed Keith's hair. "We've missed you two here."

"I know, but my instincts told me to keep him safe. I'm not saying the nest isn't safe, but our personal nest felt even safer."

"I get it, Regris. I'm just glad you guys are back."

Regris cocked his head. "Why are you here in the middle of the quintant?"

"Ulaz sent me here, because I was trying to work after a mission. He wasn't happy."

"Of course he did. Where do you guys think I get it from?" Keith's voice was tired.

"Kit! You're awake!"

"Keith, did we wake you?"

"Not really. I wasn't asleep." Keith shifted into a reclined position, which highlighted his slightly rounded belly. He was three phoebes along. Keith was already a phoebe along when he and Regris found out. (Galra pregnancies lasted seven phoebes.)

Regris was at Keith's side, offering him food and drink. Keith accepted a water pouch but refused the food.

"You need food too, my mate."

"I'm not hungry right now, Reg. Maybe later."

"If you're sure." Regris didn't sound certain.

Keith nuzzled his mate. "I'm sure." 

"I just want to take care of you, my mate. You are carrying my kits."

"Kits? As in more than one?"

"Yes. Galra have litters. Always more than one kit."

"Then why was I an only child?"

Regris combed his claws through his mate's hair. "There are a few reasons it could be. Either human-Galra unions are different or any siblings didn't survive."

Keith whimpered at the thought of any siblings not surviving. Thace nuzzled him. "It's all right, kit. It is more than likely that the unions are different."

Keith nuzzled Thace back, the older Galra glaring slightly at Regris for upsetting Keith. Regris met Thace's glare with one of his own. His instincts were still telling him to protect his mate, and they would continue to do so until their kits arrived. Then, they would tell him to protect both his mate and their kits for the rest of their lives. It was something he was actually looking forward to, but at that moment, he was going to take care of his mate, as long as his mate let him.

Fin


	160. Not 100% (Broganes)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith decides to skip his usual morning training in favor of sleeping in, cluing Shiro into the fact that he wasn't feeling well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is broganes.
> 
> Tags: Broganes, Sick Keith

"Not 100%"

Keith knew it was still early, and he should get up and get some training in before breakfast, but he couldn't bring himself to get up. He could train later on that day like after breakfast. Surely he couldn't be blamed for sleeping in for once.

%%%

Shiro stared at the empty chair between him and Lance. Keith needed to stop training so much. Apparently, he wasn't the only one who noticed Keith's absence either, since Lance kept glancing at the empty chair as well.

"I'm going to get Keith from the training deck," Shiro stated, standing up. He left the dining hall, heading for the training deck. He shook his head and entered the strangely empty room. If Keith wasn't on the training deck, where was he and why didn't he show up to breakfast?

He decided to check Keith's room, mostly because of the fact that if Keith was with Red, he wouldn't be able to get to him, not that he actually thought that Keith was in his room. Shiro opened the door and was not surprised that it was dark in the room, but he _was_ surprised to find Keith sleeping fitfully. His pillow was on the floor, leaving his head next to his unsheathed Marmora knife, and his blanket was half on and half off, trailing off the bed. Shiro grabbed the knife's sheath off the utility belt that was tossed onto the dresser and sheathed the knife before he tried to wake Keith. He knelt down and gently shook Keith's shoulder. "Keith?"

Keith's eyes fluttered open. "'Kashi?"

"Hey, ototo. Are you all right? You're missing breakfast."

"What? Sorry. I didn't mean-" Keith tried to sit up but was halted by Shiro's arms on his shoulders. "Let me up, ni-san."

"I don't think so. You aren't feeling well."

"No. I'm fine."

"If you were, you'd be on the training deck."

"I-"

"Don't deny it."

Keith stopped trying to get up. "Fine. Can I have my pillow back?"

Shiro chuckled and handed Keith the fallen pillow. The Red Paladin lifted his head and stuck the pillow under it before resting his head back on it. "I'm going to tell the team that you aren't feeling well."

"Do you have to?"

"Yes."

Keith groaned. "They'll want to stop by and check on me."

"They worry about you. We all do."

"I don't meant to make you guys worry."

Shiro stroked Keith's hair. "I know, ototo. Now, get some rest. I'll try to make sure the rest of the team don't bother you too much."

"Thanks." Keith closed his eyes.

Shiro smiled and fixed the blanket before leaving the room. He reentered the dining hall, attracting the eyes of the three Paladins and two Alteans.

"Where's Keith? Is he taking a shower?" Lance asked.

"No. He wasn't on the training deck when I went to find him. He's not feeling well and was sleeping. I left him in his room."

"He's sick?" Hunk repeated.

"Not exactly. He's just not feeling 100%."

"100% of what?" Allura was confused.

"Oh. It's an Earth saying. It means he's not feeling completely healthy."

"Earth's sayings are confusing."

%%%

Keith cracked his eyes open when he heard voices in his room. He groaned, due to the fact that the light was too bright. There was shuffling in his room before the light dimmed significantly.

"Is that better, ototo?"

"Ni-san? Why are there more people in my room?"

"We all wanted to keep you company," Shiro replied.

"I prefer being alone."

"So you say, Mullet, but we don't exactly buy that."

"Lance, I've had to take care of myself between my Dad dying and Shiro's family taking me in and then again when I was kicked out of the Garrison after the Kerberos coverup."

"Shh, ototo. You need rest, not conversation. We can leave if you want."

"As long as you keep your voices down, I guess you can stay." Keith closed his eyes and fell asleep to the sound of soft murmuring.

Fin


	161. Healing Injuries (Shallura)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Healer Fey Allura tries to heal the wind fey her favorite apprentice sent to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Shallura with Wind Fey Shiro and Healer Fey Allura.
> 
> Tags: Shallura, Fey, Wind Fey Shiro, Healer Fey Allura, Water/Healer Fey Lance (mentioned), Hurt Shiro, Injuries, Short

"Healing Injuries"

Allura shook her head as she rung out a piece of fabric and dabbed the other fey's face with it. She needed to bring his fever down before she could heal the injury across his nose. This was the first time she had seen this particular fey.

She was well known in the magical world as a healer and a trainer of healers. Her apprentices had been sent out into the world to heal those who needed it and to send those who were hurt worse to her. This wind fey had been sent to her by her favorite apprentice by the name of Lance. Lance was a water fey with a talent for healing. She knew that if Lance sent someone to her that they really needed her help.

This fey was a wind fey and was quite handsome in her opinion. He had the darkest color hair like the night sky except for the forelock, which was longer and as white as the lily, and his eyes were the color of storm clouds, which she had seen for the briefest moment before he collapsed. His wings were unusual. They consisted of black feathers, but there was a swatch of white that went in a vertical stripe down each wing as if they were struck by lightning, but the signs of a lightning strike were absent.

Allura worked tirelessly throughout the night to bring down his fever, and the sun was just peeking over the horizon before his fever broke. She smiled as she set aside the bowl of water and cloth. She grabbed a clean cloth and wiped down his face, so she could heal the injury across his nose. Once his face was clean, she held her hands above his nose injury and focused her power.

%%%

Shiro's eyes fluttered as he felt better. The being that greeted his eyes was a gorgeous fey. Her hair was the color of the moonlight, and her eyes (which had opened briefly before they closed again) were the color of the oceans. Her wings were prismatic, transparent yet shimmering. He just wished he felt better and could ask the vision before his eyes her name.

Fin


	162. Explosions (Team As Family)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Garrison Trio is doing an experiment a la Mythbusters, when Keith stumbles upon them. He surprises them by asking to join them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Disclaimer: I don't own Mythbusters.
> 
> Author Note: This is a team as family ficlet.
> 
> Tags: Team as Family, Mythbusters, Shiro just wants some peace and quiet

"Explosions"

Keith was walking to the training deck when he was startled by a small explosion coming from the Green Lion hangar. Worried that the youngest Paladin had gotten in over her head with her experiments, Keith hurried over and peeked into the hangar, expecting a scene of carnage. What he _did_ see was a mess and three cheering Paladins wearing their armor.

He stepped inside. "What's going on?"

Lance turned to look at Keith. "What's it to you, Mullet?"

"Was this another experiment?"

"Yes," Pidge answered.

"Like Mythbusters?"

Pidge and Hunk joined Lance in looking at their fellow Paladin. Hunk inquired, _"You_ like Mythbusters?"

"Who _doesn't_ like Mythbusters?" Keith grinned. "I want in."

%%%

Shiro was enjoying the peace and quiet, while the other Paladins were occupying themselves elsewhere. Shiro figured that Keith was on the training deck, Hunk was in the kitchen, Lance was probably in the lounge, and Pidge was in the Green Lion hangar, so when there was an explosion from the Green Lion hangar, he jumped from his Paladin seat and raced to the Green Lion hangar, hoping that there weren't any casualties. He came upon a strange scene.

The other four Paladins, dressed in their armor, were crouched behind a barricade made from metal containers. They were high-fiving each other and cheering in reaction to...the explosion?

"Yeah!"

"That was great!"

"Amazerbeams!"

"Let's do that again!"

"Do what again?" Shiro asked.

All four of the other Paladins turned to the door, seeing Shiro. Lance grinned. "We're doing experiments, Shiro, like Mythbusters."

Shiro gently face palmed with his left hand. "Guys, don't blow up the castle ship. We don't have any other means of transport, and no, the lions don't count."

"Oh, don't worry, Shiro. We aren't doing the huge explosion like Matt and I liked to do during the summer," Pidge tried to reassure Shiro.

"That's not exactly reassuring, Pidge."

"Don't worry, Shiro. I'll keep them in line," Keith offered.

"I'm actually surprised you are here, Keith," Shiro said.

"I like explosions."

Shiro sighed. "Fine. Keep them in line."

The Paladins watched Shiro leave before the Garrison Trio looked at Keith, convinced that he was going to end their activities. Keith grinned. "What's next?"

Their eyebrows raised in surprise. Lance's jaw dropped open. "You mean it?"

"Of course. I used explosions back on Earth like when I saved Shiro."

"Hey. _I_ saved Shiro!" Lance argued.

"I lured the Garrison away and didn't need your help. You just tagged along."

"We were there first!"

"I was planting the bombs while they set up the quarantine tent."

"We were on a plateau overseeing the quarantine tent."

"I was the first one inside."

"Can we get back to the experiments?" Pidge asked, tired of their constant arguing.

Keith and Lance stopped arguing and turned to their fellow Paladins with grins on their faces. "Of course!"

"Yeah!"

Hunk and Pidge grinned as they discovered a good way to get the two volatile Paladins to stop arguing, a way that they were more than happy to use.

Fin


	163. A Kit's Distraction (DoM, Thulaz)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ulaz has to draw blood from the pack's kit, but fortunately, Thace is there to distract the little kit. He just hopes he can get his blade back before too long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Keith raised by the Blade of Marmora. This is also Kolivan as Krolia's father and Keith's grandfather. Thace and Ulaz are a mated pair and consider Krolia their sister. Keith is only six months old in this story.
> 
> Tags: DoM, Thulaz, Keith raised by the BoM, Baby Keith, Grandpa Kolivan, Uncle Thace, Uncle Ulaz, Mama Krolia, Kit Keith, Stubborn Keith, RIP Kolivan's braid

"A Kit's Distraction"

Krolia paced outside the med bay in an uncharacteristic show of nerves. Her kit was inside, and she wasn't allowed in there. She couldn't believe she was banned from the med bay while her kit was having his check-up.

Kolivan was keeping his distance from his daughter. He had attempted to calm her down, but when she lashed out at him, he backed off. He didn't blame her in the slightest. The bond between mother and kit was strong.

%%%

Ulaz was doing a few extra tests on Keith, ones he knew Krolia wouldn't like. He wanted to get samples of Keith's blood and headfur and finish his file. He told Krolia is was just a routine checkup, so she wouldn't worry, but he knew that he didn't have long before Krolia would tear down the doors just to be with her kit. Fortunately, Keith was happy to be with any member of the pack, so he wasn't particularly distressed.

He did have a tiny problem when he had to draw some of the kit's blood, but that was why he had his mate in the med bay with him. Thace distracted the kit by keeping his attention away from Ulaz and the needle he was holding. Thace didn't know what to distract the kit with except for his sword. He unsheathed his blade, which drew the kit's attention. Keith reached out for the blade, but Thace stayed out of the kit's reach and transformed his blade into its sword form. Keith's eyes widened in delight.

Ulaz used this distraction as his chance to take the sample of the kit's blood he needed. The kit didn't even notice as his attention was focused on Thace's sword. He didn't envy his mate. The kit was way too interested in his sword and wouldn't be happy when it got tucked away.

Just as he predicted, when Thace put away his sword, tears jumped to the kit's eyes. Thace's eyes widened, and, in an attempt to stave off the tears, Thace handed his sheathed blade to the kit. "Don't cry, little one. You can hold this. Just don't take it out of its sheath."

The kit's tears dried up when he got his hands on Thace's blade. He cuddled it close to his chest and purred happily. Ulaz shook his head as he started completing the kit's medical file. Thace breathed a sigh of relief at averting the crisis and turned to look at his mate, who said, "Go ahead and let Krolia in before she tears down my door."

Sparing one last glance at the kit cuddling his blade, Thace opened the door and called out, "Krolia, you can come in now."

He barely moved out of the way fast enough to prevent himself from being run over by his pack sister entering the med bay. Krolia made her way over to her kit, who chirped at her in greeting. She scooped him up and nuzzled him. Once she was satisfied that he was okay, she looked at what he was holding. "Kit, why do you have your uncle's blade?"

"I let him hold it since he was so interested in it. I figured I'd be able to get it back later on in the quintant."

Krolia hummed. "I don't know, Thace. Keith is a very stubborn little kit."

Thace blinked. "Surely there'll be _something_ he'd like better than my blade?"

Kolivan entered the med bay and drew up beside his daughter and grandkit, who saw him and reached for him, dropping Thace's blade in the process. Thace grabbed his blade, when Kolivan scooped up the kit. Keith grabbed onto his grandfather's braid and snuggled against his shoulder, purring.

Thace and Krolia looked at Kolivan, who was cradling the tiny kit close. The leader of the Blades said, "I will take the kit with me on my patrol. You three should use this time to relax."

The three Blades watch as Kolivan left the med bay, carrying his grandkit. They looked at each other before looking out the door again. "I wouldn't have thought that my kit would like my father's braid as much as I did, when I was a little kit, but I'm glad he does."

Fin


	164. Bringing Home The Boyfriend (Heith) *

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith's Dad is overprotective when it comes to his only son and when Keith brings home Hunk for the first time since they started dating six months prior.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Heith and was suggested by RoseRozu.
> 
> Tags: Heith, Overprotective Father, Keith's Dad's name is Texas, Texan Keith, Galra Keith, AU, Keith's Dad Lives, Request

"Bringing Home The Boyfriend"

Keith was nervous; that much was obvious. Red Lion could tell as could Hunk. The reason for his nerves was obvious as well. He was finally bringing home his boyfriend. He and Hunk had only been dating six months when his Dad caught wind of it, which was bad since Keith hadn't brought Hunk over before and Hunk hadn't asked the elder Kogane permission to date Keith.

Keith landed his lion outside the site of his childhood home. The house may have burnt down, but the shack was still standing. However, there was a new building standing to the other side of the shack, which was the small house Tex Kogane built and lived in after he came out of the coma he was in for many years. By that time, Keith and the other Paladins were already in space and fighting to free the universe.

A hand landing on his shoulder brought Keith back to the present. He leaned his head against his boyfriend's hand with a small purr before he stood up. He led the Yellow Paladin down the ramp in Red's mouth and towards the new dwelling.

Suddenly, the front door banged open, and there stood Tex Kogane, cleaning a twelve gauge shotgun. "So, are you Keith's-"

Hunk turned a sickly shade of white and hid behind Keith, which didn't work well. Tex stopped cleaning the gun and blinked. "Uh, is he all right?"

Keith pinched the bridge of his nose. "Pop, you over did it."

"Well, it's your old man's prerogative to intimidate whoever thinks they are good enough to date you."

"Well, tone it down, Pop." Keith turned to his boyfriend. "Hunk, it's all right. Pop won't shoot you."

"Promise?"

"Promise," Keith responded with a purr and led Hunk closer to the house. "Hunk, this is my father, Texas Kogane. Pop, this is my boyfriend, the Yellow Paladin of Voltron, Hunk Garrett."

Tex set the shotgun to the side and held out his hand. Hunk tentatively grasped his potential father-in-law's hand. Tex tugged Hunk close and stared at him. Hunk had the distinct impression that he was being judged as boyfriend material. He hoped he measured up to whichever standard he was being compared to.

Keith suppressed the urge to growl at his Dad for being overprotective of him and his potential mates. He hadn't been there when Hunk had proved that he had the bravery needed to come to Keith's aid when necessary and the sense to be the voice of reason to reign in Keith's more impulsive, fiery nature. Keith couldn't help his eyes changing slightly, gaining a yellow tint to the sclera and his pupils changing into cat-like slits.

Tex released Hunk, satisfied with what he saw in the boy's eyes. The two turned to look at Keith and were surprised at his eyes. Hunk took a step away from Keith's Dad. "Keith, sweetheart, it's all right."

Keith blinked, his eyes going back to normal. Noting his Dad and his boyfriend staring at him, he groaned. "Ah $#!+. Did my eyes do the thing again?"

Hunk wrapped an arm around Keith's shoulders and squeezed him. "It's okay. I know you can't really control that part of your biology."

"So, you know that he isn't completely human?"

"Yeah. I know he's part Galra, and, frankly, I don't care. I knew him before we found that out. It doesn't change who he is."

"Well well well. It looks like Keith found himself the perfect boyfriend. Welcome to the Kogane family, Hunk. Just know, if you hurt Keith, they won't find a body."

Fin


	165. Favorite Foods (Klance) *

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hunk recreates Earth foods out of nostalgia.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Klance and was suggested by xXkitsuneknightXx.
> 
> Tags: Klance, Hunk is pure and the best cook, Earth Food, Request

"Favorite Foods"

Hunk rolled up his sleeves in preparation for a lengthy session in the kitchen. They had been in space for a year...deca-phoebe was the term if he remembered correctly and hadn't had the comfort of familiar foods. He had made a special trip to the space mall and picked up supplies to made Earth food, especially the favorites of the Paladins.

%%%

The aroma of delicious food lured Lance out of the lounge and into the kitchen. He knew his best friend had been in the kitchen since that morning, but he wasn't prepared for the sight of familiar looking food covering most of the counter space in the kitchen. Hunk was stirring a pot of something on the stove but had noticed Lance's entrance. "Please don't touch anything, Lance. This is for lunch."

Lance looked around incredulously. "All of this is for _lunch?_ Hunk, bud, you do know that it's just the usual seven of us, right? We're not hosting a delegation from another world or anything."

"I guess I did get a little carried away, but it will be worth it. Now, shoo, so I can get all of this done." Hunk gestured for Lance to leave the room, which he did.

%%%

The next Paladin who entered the kitchen was Keith, who had come from a shower (after leaving the training deck), wanting something to drink. He was also amazed at the amount of cooking/baking the Yellow Paladin had done. While he grabbed a couple water pouches, he asked, "Are you stress baking again?"

"Wha-oh, hi, Keith. Didn't see you there. No, I'm not stress baking."

"Then, what is all this for?"

"Lunch."

"Okay." Keith sipped from his pouch. "Since there's a lot, I won't take a snack."

"Probably a good idea, since lunch is almost done."

Keith grinned at his fellow Paladin before leaving the kitchen. He took a seat in the dining hall, next to Lance. "Hey, Lance."

"Hey, Mullet. I see you were training again."

Keith smirked. "What gave it away?"

"Your wet hair."

"I could have been relaxing before deciding to take a shower."

"Were you?"

"No, but I could have been."

"All right, you two, stop. Don't flirt at the dining table." Shiro entered the room and sat down at the end of the table.

"I wasn't flirting!" Lance insisted, but he was blushing.

"I was, though," Keith said.

Lance looked at Keith. "You were?"

"Well, trying anyway," Keith admitted.

"You like me?"

"Yeah."

At that moment, Hunk left the kitchen with several dishes. He had one dish in each hand, one balanced on each arm, and one on his head. Lance immediately jumped up and helped his friend with the dishes. Once they set the dishes down, Hunk returned to the kitchen and returned with even more dishes. The Paladins stared at the plates as they recognized some of their favorite foods.

"Is that really-?" Pidge started.

"Yup. I made baked ziti, nachos, bacon cheeseburgers, sushi, and-"

"Garlic knots!" Lance exclaimed. "I love you, man!"

"Why'd you do this?" Shiro asked. "Not that I'm complaining."

"I've missed cooking with my family, and this helped."

"Well, that's good. Now, what is all of this? Earth food, I presume?" Allura asked.

"Some of the _best_ Earth food available!" Lance reached for the plate of garlic knots. "I will allow you all to have one, but the rest are mine."

"Gee, how generous of you," Keith said.

"I've waited a year to eat garlic knots again. I'm going to eat so many that-"

"Please don't finish that sentence, Lance. I'm just going to enjoy this baked ziti," Pidge cut him off.

"Actually, I made enough of everything for everyone to have some," Hunk said. "These dishes come from different regions on Earth, so they have very different tastes."

"They look weird. How do I eat this?"

"Mostly with your hands except for the ziti," Shiro answered, pointing at the small pile of pasta on his plate. He picked up the bacon cheeseburger and took a big bite out of it, resisting the urge to moan at the delicious taste by taking another bite.

Allura looked at each of her Paladins, who were eating the food with smiles on their faces. She didn't know if she would like any of the food, but since this food brought a bit of comfort for the Paladins, she wouldn't say anything against it.

Fin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy birthday, Shiro! He finally turned seven!


	166. Collared (DoM)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith moves so quietly that the Paladins discuss tying a bell to him, which amuses the Blades as it is a typical move for a kit's pack to do when the kit moves quietly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, and Antok survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. 
> 
> Tags: DoM, Quiet Keith, Bell, Amused Blades, Embarrassed Keith

"Collared"

"I'm telling you! He's so quiet that you don't know he's even in the same room as you until he says something!" Lance exclaimed.

Shiro chuckled. "He's always been like that. Adam even commented on it at the Garrison."

"Well, what can we do about it? It undoubtedly is due to his Galran heritage," Allura pointed out.

"Well, I'm pretty sure there's a bell around here somewhere," Pidge stated.

"You mean to tell me, you want to put a bell around Keith's neck, so we know where he is," Lance chuckled. "Man, I would _pay_ to see that!"

Allura tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I think I have a choker with a bell on it. Would that work?"

"Yeah, but how would we get it on him?" Hunk asked.

%%%

Keith was returning from the training deck, having taken a shower in the locker room, something he didn't usually do. He normally just took a shower in his room, but his pack was visiting, and he didn't want to waste time going to his private room when he could take a shower near the training deck and then go straight to the nest room. His towel was still draped over his head, because his hair was still wet from his shower.

"Keith!"

Keith wasn't even surprised as he felt the Green Paladin jump onto his back and wrap her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. "Hey, Pidge. What's up?"

"Oh nothing. I just wanted to-There!" Pidge jumped off Keith's back.

Keith felt something around his neck. As he reached up to feel what it was, his hand brushed against the bell and it gave a horrifying, distinctive ding-a-ling sound. He tried to rip it off, but to his horror, the thick, cord didn't rip. He ran his hands around the cord but didn't feel a connection point. He kept trying to tug it off but failed every time. He turned to ask Pidge why she did this, but she had vanished.

%%%

The Blades were relaxing in their nest room, waiting for their kit to make his way to them like he promised he would, when they heard a distinctive bell sound. Thace chuckled. "That sounds like a bell that my mother used to put on my pack siblings and I to make sure she could tell where we were at all times."

Ulaz chuckled. "You mean you were one of those unruly kits that needed a bell?"

Thace sniffed. "I'm sure I wasn't the only one."

Before anyone else could confirm or deny the statement, the door slid open, revealing their kit, who, strangely, had his towel wrapped around his neck.

"Kit, is everything all right?" Antok asked, reaching for him.

Keith hesitated for a moment but allowed Antok to pull him into the nest. Keith instinctively nuzzled his largest pack member, not realizing the movement caused the towel to slip, giving his pack a good view of the collar and the bell that rested in the hollow of his neck.

"Kit, is that a bell around your neck?" Ulaz had to fight to keep the humor out of his tone before he found out what Keith thought of it.

"Yeah. Pidge ambushed me on the way here and slipped this on, and I can't get it off," Keith answered with a whimper.

Antok groomed Keith's hair as Thace explained, "In Galran culture, packs, usually the mothers, attached bells to kits when they learned to move quietly, so they knew where they were. Apparently, you move too quietly for the other Paladins and, I'm guessing, the Alteans as well."

"They could have just said something about it. They didn't have to collar me."

"It's almost impossible for you to _not_ move quietly since you are half-Galra," Kolivan responded.

"Can you take this off? I can't tear it, and there's no clasp."

"Let me see, kit." Ulaz gently ran his fingers around the collar and, to his amusement, found no way to remove it. "My apologies, kit. I don't know how to remove it."

"Maybe use your blade?"

"I don't want to risk cutting your skin, kit. This is near some delicate blood vessels, and the reward of having the collar off isn't worth the risk."

Keith whimpered and buried his face in Antok's chest, who chuckled. "Look at it this way, kit, at least it's purple."

Fin


	167. Cycle (Sheith)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fem Keith is on a Paladin mission when her period starts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Sheith with Fem Keith.
> 
> Tags: Sheith, Fem Keith, Period, Mama Red Lion, Galra Keith

"Cycle"

Keith hadn't realized that her period had started until halfway through the mission. It should've been noticed when she literally clung to Shiro when the Black Paladin suggested that they split up. She normally didn't have a problem going off with any of the other Paladins, but the thought of separating from Shiro sent chills down her spine. She also was subconsciously growling as if daring the others to say anything other than her going with Shiro. Once they had separated into one group of Shiro and Keith and the other one of Lance, Hunk, and Pidge, Keith stopped growling.

Instead of walking forward, Shiro turned to his girlfriend. "Want to explain what that was?"

Keith blinked and slowly released her grip on Shiro's arm. "I-I'm sorry, Takashi. I don't know what came over me."

"I know, koibito, but you should probably apologize to the others." [sweetheart]

"I know." She contacted the rest of the Paladins on their secure line. "Guys?"

"What's up, chica?" [girl] Lance asked.

Keith rolled her eyes. "I wanted to apologize for my behavior earlier. I don't know what that was."

"No problem, Keith. Just don't growl at us again?"

Keith smiled, even though she knew Pidge couldn't see her. "Katie, you've got a deal."

Pidge giggled and shut off the channel. The two teams made their way through the Empire base as quietly as they could, even though it seemed to be abandoned. Shiro had been opening the doors and then entering the room, so Keith hadn't realized that he _didn't_ immediately enter the room and slammed into her boyfriend's back, which sent her backwards onto the floor, landing on her rear. "Ow."

"Keith! Oh my goodness! Are you okay?"

Strangely her butt hurt _less_ than her abdomen. Why did that area hurt? "I-I think so."

"You don't sound too sure."

"I'm just sore, Takashi," Keith replied, attempting to wave off his concern. "Let's go."

"There's no point in going any further into this room. The computers are trashed. It appears this base is truly abandoned."

"Well, let's go home then." Just then, Keith gasped and wrapped her arms around her abdomen.

"Keith! Are you all right?"

She whimpered. "'Kashi, it hurts."

"What does, koibito?"

She kept her arms wrapped around her abdomen. "Here."

Shiro took note of where her arms were. "Is it that time of the month?"

Keith nodded, whimpering again, but this time she heard a soothing purr in her mind. Her lion realized her Paladin was in pain and was purring in their bond, hoping that it would help. It helped mentally, but the cramps were so bad that she couldn't really move. She looked up at her boyfriend. "Takashi, can you take me to my lion? It hurts so much that I can't move."

Shiro's eyes widened. For Keith to admit that, she had to be in immense pain. "Of course." He scooped her up, apologizing when the action elicited a hiss from her. "I'm so sorry, koibito. I don't mean to hurt you more."

"I know, 'Kashi." Keith whined and buried her face into Shiro's shoulder.

Shiro managed to connect to the Paladin channel. "Guys, get back to your lions. This mission is a bust. The computers are trashed."

"I might be able to-" Pidge was cut off by a slightly muffled whine from Keith. "Was that Keith? Is she okay?"

"It's that time of the month for her."

"Ah. All right, guys. Back to the lions."

Shiro carried Keith to Red, who allowed them entrance, and gently set her in the pilot's seat. She carefully shifted her position until she was sitting with her legs drawn up to her chest, which helped lessen the cramps. She could feel the blood dripping, but she didn't realize _how_ much had seeped through her black flight suit and had smeared onto the armor covering the back of her calves. She wrapped her arms around her legs and whined loudly, glad that Shiro had left already. She felt the brush against her bond with Red and heard the purr again.

"You'll be all right, cub, right?"

"Yes, Red. I'll be fine. This happens once a phoebe. I'm just usually not on a mission when it hits."

"I'll fly us home. You just need to relax."

Keith buried her face in her arms, muffling her whine. She just wanted pain medication, chocolate, and cuddles from Takashi, and if she didn't get all three, it wasn't going to be pleasant for whoever denied her these things.

Fin


	168. Homesick (Space Mom Allura)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Space Mom Allura comes upon Lance sitting in his Paladin seat. He's homesick.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Space Mom Allura.
> 
> Tags: Space Mom Allura, Homesick Lance, Comfort, Galra Keith

"Homesick"

Allura was pleased that most of her children were in the lounge, but she noticed one was missing, Lance. She wasn't sure where he would be, but the quickest way to check on his location was to go to the bridge and check the cameras. However, it was not needed as when she entered the bridge, she saw him sitting in the Blue Paladin seat with his legs up to his chest. She stepped closer to him. "Lance?"

His head jerked up from where it was resting against his knees. "Mamá?"

"What's wrong, sweetie?"

"I miss home."

The tone of his voice was so sad that Allura couldn't help but use her Altean strength and pick him up. She sat down in the Blue Paladin seat and set him on her lap. She combed her fingers through his hair in an attempt to soothe him. "It's okay to miss home. I miss Altea, but don't forget that we will get you guys back to Earth, even if it's just to make sure that your families know that you are alive and in space."

Lance wrapped his arms around her. "Thanks, Mamá, and you can call Earth home as well. I mean, that's where all of us Paladins are going to live."

"But you'll be with your families."

"You're still a mother to us, even when we have our biological moms back."

Allura smiled. "Thank you, Lance. Now, the rest of your siblings are resting in the lounge. Did you want to join them?"

"Sure." Lance slid off her lap, and she escorted him to the lounge, where he was tugged down into the nest by Keith, who nuzzled him and started grooming his hair. "Uh, Keith, buddy, what are you doing?"

Keith paused. "You seemed a little down, so I was grooming you to help you relax. Is that okay?"

"Yeah. I just didn't know what you were doing."

Keith went back to grooming his brother's hair, softly purring as he did. Allura settled in the nest on Lance's other side and tugged Shiro closer to her side, carding her fingers through his hair floof as she relaxed with her children, assured of her place as a mother to them.

Fin


	169. Mission Impossible - Not Likely (Blind Keith, Thulaz, Antolivan)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith, Regris, Ilun, and Vrek are sent to retrieve an abandoned Empire ship or destroy it if they are unable to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is the seventeenth story in the Blind Keith series. This is Thulaz and Antolivan. Keith is sixteen-years-old in this story. 
> 
> Tags: Blind Keith, Thulaz, Antolivan, Galra Keith, Flying Ace Keith, Best Friend Regris

"Mission Impossible - Not Likely"

It took another deca-phoebe before Keith was able to go on missions, but that was only because he needed to learn to work together with other Blades. Thace and Antok ran mock scenarios, pairing Keith with any available Blades to see who he was compatible with. Not surprisingly, he was most compatible with Regris, but he was also fairly compatible with the newer recruits Ilun and Vrek. Vrek didn't speak much, but Ilun did.

At first, Ilun seemed to dislike Keith, because of his lack of sight. Surprisingly and not surprisingly at the same time, Soshan took Ilun (and Vrek to make sure) and showed them the recording of the Trial of Combat. Soshan had made good on his word that Keith had earned his and his pack's respect. He made sure no one disrespected the kit because of his blindness.

To their surprise, Keith and Regris were paired up with Ilun and Vrek to retrieve an abandoned Empire cruiser, if possible. If not, then Ilun and Vrek were to plant explosives and destroy it. Regris's job was to try to get the ship up and running, and Keith would fly it back.

Even though they saw Keith defeating the four Blades, Ilun and Vrek were dubious about Keith _actually_ flying, so Ilun was the one to fly them to the abandoned cruiser. Keith didn't mind as he had firm belief that his best friend could fix whatever was wrong with it as he was a tech wiz and then, Keith would show these two Blades how well he flew.

The four of them stealthily entered the ship and methodically searched the ship on their way to the bridge. They luckily found no sentries or any soldiers at all and made it to the bridge with no problems. Regris got to work immediately and managed to get the ship in working order.

Keith stepped up to the control panel, but Ilun blocked his path. "I think I should actually pilot the cruiser back to headquarters."

Keith raised his hazy eyes to Ilun's face and raised an eyebrow. "Do you want to explain to Leader why I wasn't allowed to follow his orders?"

Ilun paused but moved out of the way but said one last thing, "If I determine you can't do this, I _will_ take over, no matter what Leader said."

Keith shrugged. He knew he was a natural at flying, his pack told him as much. He did his pre-flight checklist, only asking Regris, "How much fuel does the ship have?"

"It's almost full." Regris's tone was one of boredom, something he wasn't known for. He was just used to Keith having a natural talent for flying.

"Perfect." Keith started the ship and perfectly flew it to the location of headquarters. Ilun and Vrek were shocked into silence as they watched this blind Blade piloting this ship.

They waited for permission to enter, and Ilun finally found his voice. "How did you do that?"

"My pack taught me how to determine differences by sound. I just have a natural talent for flying."

"Identify yourself."

Keith opened a hailing frequency. "This is Blade of Marmora operatives Keith, Regris, Ilun, and Vrek. We have completed our mission."

"Welcome back, Operative. Please navigate the route carefully."

Keith entered the route between the star and black holes without the map that usually accompanied the standard greeting, though if Ilun had thought about it, Keith couldn't see the map anyway. Keith flew the route flawlessly, further impressing the two other Blades. He landed the cruiser in the hangar, and the four Blades disembarked. Kolivan was waiting for them at the entrance to the hangar, and when they were right in front of him, they all dropped to one knee.

"Leader, the mission was a success. We have retrieved the ship," Regris spoke.

"Well done. Dismissed."

Keith stood up with the others but stayed behind, removing his mask and hood. Kolivan drew the kit into a hug, Keith nuzzling Kolivan in greeting.

"Are Daddy and Papa here?"

"They are waiting for you in the nest, kit, along with Antok." Kolivan smiled at the thought of his mate. "Go ahead to the nest. I will join you four shortly."

Keith grinned and left the hangar. His first mission was a complete success, and he hoped every one of his missions were the same way.

Fin


	170. Napping Kits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While in the past, Keith starts to doze when he is joined by kit Thace, who is trying to avoid taking a nap. Thace's mom comes upon both and is pleased that her kit is with Keith and has finally fallen asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is a companion piece to "Time Traveling" and "Little Mama."
> 
> Tags: DoM, Companion Piece, Keith in the past, Kit Thace, Thace's Mom

"Napping Kits"

Keith should have been more surprised than he was when he felt a fluffy kit crawl into his lap, purring. Keith chuckled and nuzzled his head before he began grooming his headfur, eliciting a louder purr from the kit.

The door opened, and Thace's mom entered the room, smiling when she saw her kit in the time traveler's arms. "Oh, thank the stars you have him, Keith. He was trying to avoid a nap."

Keith paused in grooming the violet headfur. "My pack used to trick me into taking naps." Seeing Thace's mom about to interrupt, he quickly added, "But now I take naps without having to be coerced."

Thace's mom slid in behind Keith and started nuzzling Keith's hair. "Then, why are you still awake, kit?"

"I was drowsing when Thace entered the room and was concentrating on getting him to sleep." Keith started purring from the affection from his packmate's mother.

"Then, relax, kit, and take a nap. I'm here to watch over you." She rumbled as she wrapped her arms around Keith and led him to lean against her.

Keith felt Thace shift slightly in his arms, letting him know that the kit actually fell asleep in his arms. This fact coupled with the warmth of the Galra holding him let Keith know it was safe to allow his eyes to close, a contented purr escaping him.

Thace's mother smiled at the two sleeping kits in her arms. She knew that Keith could disappear at any time, but she couldn't help growing at least a little bit attached to the older kit. The knowledge that he was pack to her kit and the other pack kits when they grew up helped in that respect. She wondered if the kit had met her in the future.

Fin


	171. Cat-like (DoM) *

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith acts so cat like, even the BoM don't know what's happening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, and Antok survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. This was suggested by Smallblaa.
> 
> Tags: DoM, Galra Keith. Cat-like behaviors, Confused Paladins, Confused Blades, Request

"Cat-like"

It had started as unusual to everyone except Shiro, who had known Keith at the Garrison, where he was Keith's mentor. Keith had been exhibiting strange behavior like curling up on the couch for a nap or laying in the sun when they landed on a planet. He always had exceptional night vision as well. When his Galran heritage was revealed, everyone assumed it was the reason for this cat-like behavior, because as Lance continually said, "Galra are basically giant, purple space cats."

When the four highest ranking Blades came to use the castle ship as a second headquarters, Keith had been curious and consequently got taken under their wings. The Blades were dismayed that Keith was by himself most of the time and was quite young in Galran culture. He was considered a kit and allowed to indulge in the kit instincts, but even the Blades couldn't explain what Keith did sometimes.

%%%

The Paladins with the help of the Blades had freed a planet that had been under Galra rule for many deca-phoebes and became regarded as heroes. As such, they were allowed to explore the planet, and Keith immediately changed into his casual clothes and sought out a sunny spot. He found a meadow full of red and blue flowers and laid down. He was so content in the sun that the approach of a native animal didn't ruin the moment. The animal was a four legged, red furred animal with a long tail that reminded Keith of Earth cats, especially when it joined him in the sun. Keith closed his eyes, not intending on falling asleep.

It was several vargas before the rest of the Paladins and the Blades met up but were concerned that Keith hadn't.

"Where's the kit?" Kolivan asked.

Shiro glanced around. "It is pretty sunny. Maybe he's laying in the sun and lost track of time."

"Laying in the sun? Why would he do that?" Antok inquired.

"We don't know. Isn't it a Galra thing?" Lance questioned.

"No. There's a danger of overheating if we stay in the sun too long," Ulaz answered.

"It's _not_ a Galra thing? Then, why does Keith do that?" Allura asked.

"I don't know. He's always done it." Shiro shrugged.

"We can figure that out later. Let's find the kit first," Thace pointed out. He sniffed the air and started walking, sniffing every so often. He was tracking Keith by scent and led the group to the meadow, where Keith was.

The Blades stared at their napping kit in surprise, while the Paladins weren't surprised by Keith napping. They _were_ surprised by the native animal curled up at Keith's side. Lance tried to keep his laughter in but wasn't completely successful. He snickered. "Look at our space cat napping with an _actual_ space cat."

Antok smacked Lance on the back of his head with his tail. "Do not insult our kit."

"Let's get him back on the ship," Allura suggested.

"No. He's all right. Leave him here until he wakes back up unless he doesn't when we are to leave," Kolivan said. "One of us will keep an eye on him."

"I can stay with him, Kolivan," Shiro offered. "Since you guys can't stay in the sunlight too long."

"There's no need to worry about us, Black Paladin. Our suits help regulate our body temperature. There is also shade nearby," the Blade Leader stated, pointing out a tree the Paladins failed to notice.

"Very well," Allura agreed. "Let's go, Paladins. We were offered a tour of the capital."

The Paladins left the Blades to watch over Keith, even though Shiro hesitated slightly. He trusted the Blades and knew that they wouldn't let anything happen to the Red Paladin, but old habits died hard.

Fin


	172. Poisioning (Broganes, Team as Family)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith gets intentionally poisoned. Fortunately, Shiro is an attentive older brother and gets Keith back to the castle. None of the Paladins or Alteans are happy about this, but none moreso than Princess Allura. She considers the Paladins her family, and no one mistreats her family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Disclaimer: I only own the Governor, the King, and the berry drink. If anyone wants to use them, they can as long as I get credit. 
> 
> Author Note: This is broganes and team as family. 
> 
> Tags: Broganes, Team as Family, Galra Keith, Murder Attempt, Hurt/Comfort, Purring Keith

"Poisoning"

Voltron had liberated a planet from Galra rule, though sentries were the only things there. There were no Galra soldiers on the planet, which was strange to the Paladins. It was relatively easy to liberate the planet, but the inhabitants were no less grateful and threw them a celebration.

Allura insisted that all of the Paladins attend the celebration, much to Keith's dismay. He wasn't a fan of parties. There were always too many people, too loud music, and too many instances where he was required to mingle. He was _not_ a people person; everyone knew that. He tended to stay on the sidelines, and this instance was no difference. He was glad that he wasn't royalty or the leader of Voltron. Both Allura and Shiro had to talk to a lot of people, including the rulers of the planet. All Keith had to do was not offend people, which was easy to do if no one approached him. Fortunately, the only one who did was a girl who was bringing drinks to all the party goers, including the Paladins. In an attempt to keep the peace, Keith accepted a drink every time he was handed one. One taste told him it wasn't alcohol nor was it anything he had had before, and he couldn't stop drinking it either.

%%%

Shiro knew how to multitask and make it seem like he wasn't. He was listening to the stuffy governor but also keeping an eye on Keith. He knew his brother didn't like parties and was probably looking for an escape route. He was surprised to find him leaning against a wall with an empty glass flute in one hand and a full one in the other. One of the many pretty girls, whose job was to offer drinks to all, seemed to be exchanging the cups and standing in Keith's personal space. Shiro was surprised that Keith wasn't opposed to it, but he was concerned about the dazed look in Keith's eyes. Something wasn't right.

"Black Paladin, is everything all right?"

Shiro blinked and turned back to face Governor Zhelk. "My apologies. Something is amiss with one of my men. Let me check on him before we continue our conversation."

"I insist we continue now. Surely your man can take care of himself, seeing as he's Galra."

Shiro narrowed his eyes. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"Did you think we didn't know? Yes. One of our 'saviors' is part of the race that conquered the universe."

"Keith isn't part of the Empire. He's actively trying to end their tyranny."

"All Galra are the same and deserve the same fate." Zhelk chuckled darkly. "And I see your pet is on his fifth glass of the K'h'jli berry drink."

For the first time, Shiro realized that the drink Keith had was different than everyone else's. Keith's was a dark purple drink, while the rest of the party goers were enjoying a royal blue liquid. "Why is Keith drinking that?"

"The K'h'jli berries, once made into a drink, will slowly poison Galra. The more they drink, the more they want. The toxins build up in their systems until they die. The amount always vary. We were very excited to test the drink on a half-breed."

Shiro had to refrain from striking the official and rushed over to his brother's side. "Keith!"

Keith raised his head to look at Shiro from beneath his fringe. "S'iro?"

"I think you've had enough, ototo." Shiro plucked the glass from Keith's hand, not wanting to worry him.

"But it tastes so good, nii-san." Keith reached out for the glass Shiro kept out of his reach.

"Everything in moderation, kiddo."

Keith pouted but stopped reaching for the glass. "Fine."

"Let's go back to the castle ship."

"But aren't we supposed to stay here?"

Shiro tried to think of what to tell Keith without telling him he had been poisoned, when Keith's eyes rolled back into his head and he started falling. Shiro managed to catch him before he hit the floor. "Keith!"

%%%

"Keith!"

Shiro's shout caught the attention of Allura, Lance, Hunk, and Pidge. The quartet immediately turned to look at where the Red and Black Paladins were standing...well, only Shiro was standing. Keith was being supported by his brother.

"What's the matter with Keith? I've never heard Shiro sound so scared before," Lance commented, taking a step away from the pretty girl he was flirting with.

The girl hung onto his arm. "I'm sure it's nothing important. Weren't you going to tell me more of your daring adventures as the Blue Paladin?"

Lance's eyes flicked from the girl to Shiro and Keith and back. "As tempting as that is, I ought to check in with Shiro. He is the leader after all. Excuse me." Lance withdrew his arm from her grip and made his way over to the pair of Paladins. "Shiro, what's going on?"

"Lance, gather everyone else. He's been intentionally poisoned!"

"Intentionally?"

"Now, Lance. I'm taking him to the castle. Hopefully there's time." Shiro shifted his hold on Keith and carried him bridal style out of the ball room and into the castle ship, knowing that the team would be following him as soon as Lance informed them of the situation.

He carried him to the infirmary, running into Coran on the way. "Oh, Shiro. I didn't expect any of you until the morning. What's wrong with Number Four?"

"He's been intentionally poisoned!"

"Oh my! What did he ingest?"

"K'h'jli berry drink."

Coran grimaced. "Not good, but at least it's treatable. Let's put him in a healing pod," Coran explained as he and Shiro rushed to the pod room. "It'll flush the toxins from his body, but it'll leave him weak for about a quintant."

They reached the pod room, and Shiro stripped Keith and put him in the white bodysuit that promoted healing while Coran programed the pod. The tick Shiro set Keith into the pod, Allura, Pidge, Hunk, and Lance rushed in. Allura took one look at her Red Paladin in the healing pod and demanded, "Do we know what happened? All Lance said was that Keith was intentionally poisoned."

"He was given glass after glass of K'h'jli berry drink. He was on his fifth glass," Shiro replied.

Allura gasped. "How dare they?!"

"What is K-whatever berry drink?" Hunk asked.

"It is fatal to Galra. Thanks the ancients that Keith is part human. That alone spared his life," Allura stated.

"That coupled with how quickly Shiro got him here saved his life. He will recover but will be weak for the next quintant," Coran added.

"How long will he be in there?" Shiro asked.

"Since he had five glasses, at least two and a half vargas," Coran informed them.

"Good. That should give me enough time to give the governor a piece of my mind," Shiro promised.

"Not without _me._ However, we are going to seek an audience with the king." Allura's tone left no room for arguments, even though no one was going to argue with her.

"While you two do that, Pidge, Hunk, and I can build a nest for when Keith gets released," Lance suggested.

"An excellent idea, Number Three. I will show you where the extra pillows and blankets are kept."

The two leaders left the castle ship, while the others constructed a nest. They marched into the palace and informed the guards that they sought an audience with King Malse concerning an assassination attempt on one of the Paladins. They were granted an audience immediately, and Shiro and Allura thought it showed that the poisoning was an isolated attempt.

"Princess Allura, Black Paladin Shiro, I understand that one of the Paladins was poisoned. Which one and what is his/her condition?" King Malse inquired.

"It was our Red Paladin, Keith, and he will recover," Allura reported.

The king sniffed. "A pity."

Shiro blinked. Surely he didn't hear that. "What do you mean, your majesty?"

"Galra are monsters that plague this universe and must perish. Your Paladin has Galra blood and must suffer the same fate."

Shiro couldn't believe the king was so racist that condemning an entire race to death didn't even faze him. He hadn't even noticed that he started moving until Allura caught his arm. "Shiro, stand down. King Malse, I'm sorry to hear your views on Galra. With all due respect, Voltron withdraws our request for you and your planet to join the Coalition."

"Princess Allura, you would throw away a powerful ally because of a Galra _half-breed?"_

"No. I throw away this alliance because my Red Paladin and friend isn't respected and safe here. Shiro, let's go." Allura led Shiro out of the palace and back to the castle ship.

They split up once they entered, Shiro going to the pod room and Allura heading to the bridge to launch the ship and get away from the planet. She steered the ship towards a more friendly sector of space. Once the castle ship was safely hidden, the princess joined her Paladins in the pod room to wait for Keith to be released from his healing pod.

The pod beeped twice, alerting the group to the fact that Keith was being released after two and a half vargas. Shiro stepped a little closer and caught Keith when he stumbled out of the pod. Keith's eyes fluttered open, and he grasped Shiro's vest. "Shiro? What-?"

"It's okay, ototo. Let's get you settled before we go into detail." Shiro guided his brother into the well constructed nest that contained the Garrison Trio and the two resident Alteans.

Keith settled between Shiro and Lance. Shiro held a hydration pouch and gently nudged the straw between Keith's lips. Keith sucked on the straw, quickly draining the pouch. Shiro removed the straw and allowed Keith to lay his head against his shoulder. Keith licked his lips and asked again, "So, what happened?"

"What is the last thing you remember?" Allura asked.

"Um, we were at the celebration for liberating a planet. You and Shiro were talking with a high official, and I kept getting offered this drink. It wasn't alcohol, so I kept accepting the drink. I don't remember how many glasses I had."

"The thing is, Keith, the drink you had was actually poison."

"Did anyone else get hurt?" Keith lifted his head from Shiro's shoulder in alarm.

Shiro guided Keith's head back to his shoulder and started stroking his hair. "No, ototo. You were the only target."

"But why me?"

"They targeted you because you are part Galra."

Keith closed his eyes for a moment before opening them and looking at Allura. "I didn't cost us an ally, did I?"

Allura shook her head. _"You_ didn't jeopardize the alliance, Keith. _They_ did. By targeting one of my Paladins, they showed that they don't care for Voltron as a whole, because the team is a unit, a family, and we protect our own."

Tears leapt to Keith's eyes. "Why do I feel so drained?"

"We put you in a healing pod, Number Four. The procedure to flush the toxins from your body makes you feel drained as you put it. It's going to take time until you feel better," Coran replied.

"So, no sneaking off to the training deck," Pidge quipped.

"I can barely stand on my own. I doubt I can sneak anywhere," Keith retorted. He looked at Coran. "How long is this going to last?"

"About a quintant."

Keith sighed. "What if there's an attack?"

"Then, I will fly Red, and Allura will fly Blue," Lance answered. "That's why we have the system we have in place."

"Lance is right, Keith. You don't have to worry about anything but recovering right now. You'll be up and about in no time, and I'll be dragging you off of the training deck," Shiro agreed.

"All right. You win, but one more question. Who built this nest?"

Hunk fidgeted nervously. "Pidge, Lance, and I did. Coran got us the pillows and blankets. Is it okay?"

"No. It's not okay. It's great."

"Really? I tried to copy how you build your nests, buddy."

"I appreciate it, Hunk." Keith yawned.

"Get some sleep, Keith. We're all here for you, and we are safe," Allura stated.

"Thanks, Princess." Keith closed his eyes again but didn't reopen them, falling asleep against his brother's shoulder.

The Paladins and Alteans quietly conversed about their next move until they heard Keith purring. Shiro smiled. "That's a relief. Keith purring is a sign that he knows that he is safe and content in that knowledge."

"It's also a sign that he knows that we don't mind his Galran heritage," Allura added. "We should also get some rest. We have had a busy day as well."

Lance leaned against Keith's side, while Pidge scooted over to sit in front of Lance and leaned against Keith's legs. Allura moved over to sit in front of Shiro and laid down with her head in Keith's lap. Hunk and Coran sat down behind Keith, one laying against his back and the other stroking Keith's hair. Keith's purr was so soothing that it lulled the other six beings to sleep.

Fin


	173. Return of The Prince (Mama Krolia)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Voltron liberating planets, Kolivan knows it is almost time for his kit to go back to the Empire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is a one shot for the Mama Krolia series. Regris is 24, Lotor is 23, Ezor is 21, and Acxa and Keith are 18.
> 
> Tags: Mama Krolia, Snippets, Krolia is sad, Lotor doesn't want to leave

"Return of The Prince"

Antok was proud of his kit. He passed the Trials of Marmora and was officially a full Blade. He had only received minor injuries during the trial, but Ulaz wasn't at headquarters anymore; he was at the communications base Thaldycon. One of the medics was tasked in treating the kit with one of the largest Blades hovering in the background.

While Regris was being treated, Lotor was sitting in his Father's office having the worst conversation of his life.

"Go back to the Empire? But, Father, why?"

"All of the Voltron lions have been located by their Paladins and they have begun freeing planets that have been under the Empire's control for deca-phoebes. Once they take down Zarkon, you will need to take control of the Empire, since you are the prince."

"By myself?"

"No. You can take your sisters with you."

"I'm sure Mom is thrilled at almost all of us leaving."

"Krolia was...less than pleased."

Lotor chuckled. "But, Father, I will miss you terribly."

"Come here, my kit." Kolivan held his arms out for Lotor, who walked over and was dragged onto Kolivan's lap. "I will miss you as well, my kit. Remember that you are a Blade above all else. Your family is working to take down the Empire. That being said you will have to refer to Zarkon as your father."

"He's never been a father to me. He's the one who banished me. You are my father."

Kolivan nuzzled Lotor's head. "I know that, kit, but as a Blade you have to pretend to do and say a lot. As long as you remember in your heart that it is not true, then it will be fine. Now, your mother wishes to cuddle you in the familial nest with your sisters before you leave tomorrow."

Lotor nuzzled Kolivan one more time before he slid off his lap and headed for the familial nest. He saw his mother laying in the nest with Ezor and Acxa. When Krolia saw Lotor, she reached out and tugged him into the nest. He was nestled against her side, Ezor was on her other side, and Acxa was laying on top of her. She nuzzled her kits and purred to them. The next quintant was going to come too soon.

After spending the night cycle with the pack present, Lotor, Ezor, and Acxa packed their clothes and boarded their ship. Krolia stayed in the hangar long after the ship had departed, almost depressed. Taulol, Antok, Kolivan, and Regris approached her and ushered her back to the nest. She held Regris in her arms as the only kit left on the base as the rest of her present pack cuddled her in an attempt to soothe her, though they knew that she would only be soothed once the pack was whole once again.

Fin


	174. Pining (Klance, Zezor, Pining Veracxa)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Acxa is smitten with Veronica and Ezor and Zethrid tease her about it during a mission with Keith. Keith puts an end to the teasing but talks to Acxa later on, advising her to spend time with Veronica when they get back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, Antok, and Regris survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. Krolia is here as Keith's mom and pack member. They don't make an appearance but are simply referred to as his pack. This is Klance, Zezor, and pining Veracxa.
> 
> Tags: Klance, Zezor, Pining Veracxa, Galra Keith, Hopeless Romantic Lance, Keith misses everyone while on missions

"Pining"

"So, your mission is done?"

"Yes. Keith is just speaking with the governor and setting up the next shipment of supplies. We will be heading back to Earth soon."

"Oh, good. Lance is impossible to deal with when Keith isn't here."

Acxa grinned. "When we're not on a mission, Keith definitely misses Lance."

"At least he focuses on the mission, when the time comes. Lance can't focus on the work the Garrison gives him, when Keith isn't here."

"Should I tell him?"

"He knows."

Acxa smirked. "Of course he does." She looked over at her personal communicator. "He's on his way back now."

"All right. I'll let Lance know. Garrison out."

The screen went black, and Acxa smiled and was still smiling when her fellow Blades entered the bridge. They took note of her sweet smile.

Ezor gently elbowed her mate in the side. "Looks like Acxa was talking to her girlfriend."

Acxa's smile fell. "She's not my girlfriend, just a friend. She's the sister of Keith's mate."

"You wish she was your mate."

"It's obvious, Acxa. You are smitten."

"I am not!" Acxa couldn't help the blush.

It was at this point that Keith entered the bridge. He took one look at his personal team of Blades and could take a good guess at what was going on, based on Acxa's blush and Ezor's and Zethrid's grins. He sighed. "Ezor, Zethrid, please stop teasing Acxa. Acxa, come see me in a couple of doboshes. Now, set course for Earth. I don't want to wait any longer to see Lance."

Keith left the bridge, not needing to see the grins on all three Blades' faces to know they were at least a little bit amused by his statement. A couple of doboshes later, Acxa knocked on Keith's door. "Come in, Acxa."

Acxa entered her leader's room to see him pulling on a t-shirt. She saw the scar on his right shoulder. "Where'd that one come from?"

Keith cocked his head as he tugged on the hem on his shirt to make sure it was sitting right. "What are you talking about?"

"There's a scar on your right shoulder that you've never mentioned."

"Oh, that. It happened awhile back, when I took the Trials of Marmora, but that's not what we need to talk about."

Acxa blushed again, remembering her conversation with the eldest McClain sister. "You don't need to concern yourself with Ezor's and Zethrid's teasing. It won't disrupt our ability to carry out our mission."

"That's not what I'm talking about, Acxa. Sit." Keith settled into his nest, patting a spot next to him in invitation. Acxa was surprised that Keith was willing to let her sit in his private nest but sat down anyway. "You should spend some time with Veronica when we get back. I bet she likes you too."

"How do you know?"

"I have my sources."

"You mean your mate?"

Keith blushed. "Yeah. Lance mentioned that Veronica is pining over you."

"She is?"

"Did you seriously not know? It's the reason she is the one you talk to from The Garrison. She's not typically on communications."

Acxa blinked. "I didn't know that. Spending time with her would be nice."

"For now, spend some time with me. We haven't gotten to spend much time together being on missions a lot. I miss having company."

Acxa knew what Keith meant, despite him sounding awkward about it. He had a large pack back on Earth that meant he was always with someone, even if it was just Lance. Being part of such a small team must have been hard on him. "We can do that."

Keith held his arms open, and Acxa snuggled against Keith, who sighed in contentment. He closed his eyes, just wanting to relax in the presence of his favorite non-pack Blade. He certainly didn't intend on falling asleep.

Acxa should have been surprised at hearing the purr but wasn't. It wasn't the first time Keith had made some Galran sound. She had heard him make some pure kit noises when he was with his pack, and he had even purred to his team after a mission was successful. She gently laid her head on top of Keith's with her cheek buried in his soft, fluffy hair and drifted off as well.

%%%

It had been a couple of vargas since Ezor and Zethrid had seen either Keith or Acxa, and they were a little concerned about them. Surely the talk Keith wanted wasn't taking that long. Ezor slipped down the hallway of the ship to Keith's room. She entered the room without knocking and stopped short at the sight of the two Blades asleep, snuggled up against each other with Keith purring. She smiled and took pictures with her data pad before retreating back to the bridge, where her mate was waiting.

Zethrid looked up when Ezor reentered the bridge. "Well, where are they?"

Ezor pulled up one of the pictures and turned her data pad around. "Napping."

Fin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note 2: This isn't Kacxa (obviously). Keith and Acxa are quite close like siblings but aren't related in this one (yet). 


	175. Chapstick Challenge (DoM, Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith and Lance do a chapstick challenge and the DoM walk in on them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, and Antok survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. This is Klance. 
> 
> Tags: DoM, Klance, Chapstick, Space Mall, Keith's pack considers Lance their kit

"Chapstick Challenge"

Shiro walked into the lounge after a solo trip to the Space Mall. He had finally gotten to go to the Space Mall and could see why the other Paladins would have gotten into trouble, especially since they were left to their own devices. He picked up a few things at the mall, but when he was checking out at the Earth store, he saw a bunch of different flavored chapstick, and an idea popped into his head. He bought seven different flavors and fought to keep the smile off his face when he entered the lounge.

Keith was cuddling with Lance when Shiro entered the lounge with a bag in his hands. The Red Paladin looked up and at the bag Shiro was holding. "Shiro?"

Shiro grinned. "I saw these and thought you two might want to play the Chapstick Challenge."

Lance perked up at the suggestion, but Keith was confused. "What's the Chapstick Challenge?"

Shiro tossed the bag to Lance, who caught it. "I'll let you explain it to him."

Keith watched as Shiro exited the lounge before he turned to face his boyfriend. "So, what's the Chapstick Challenge?"

Lance faced Keith. "Basically, one person puts the chapstick on his lips and the other person kisses them to determine what flavor the chapstick is."

Keith smiled. "Is this an actual thing or did you and Shiro orchestrate this to give you an excuse to kiss me?"

"Do I need an excuse to kiss my boyfriend?"

Keith paused and blinked a couple of times. "I guess not." Keith paused. "So are we doing this?"

Lance shook the bag. "Sure. Make sure to not look at what the other flavors are and to not peek while I put on the chapstick."

"Okay." Keith closed his eyes.

Lance reached into the bag and withdrew one of the little tubes. He looked at the flavor, which was mint. He applied the chapstick thickly, so Keith would be able to taste it. He capped it and reached over to Keith. He gently tilted his boyfriend's head and kissed him on the lips.

Keith responded to the feel of his boyfriend's lips on his. There was an unusual taste, which reminded him this wasn't just a kiss. He pulled back and licked his lips. It tasted like a minty toothpaste. He opened his eyes. "Is it mint?"

Lance grinned. "Yup. You got it. Now, we wipe off the chapstick, and it's your turn." He wiped off the chapstick with a napkin and closed his eyes.

Keith wiped his off with another napkin and reached into the bag, withdrawing a little tube that read cherry. He applied it and pulled Lance forward. Their lips met again.

Lance pulled back after a dobosh, licking his lips. A confused look crossed his face. "What?" He licked again. He frowned and leaned forward to kiss Keith again. He still couldn't tell what the flavor was. "Um, peach?"

Keith shook his head. "Nope. Do I tell you what it is or do we put it back in the bag for another try?"

"Um, just tell me."

"Cherry."

Lance blinked. "I didn't get that. My turn." He reached into the bag, getting another tube.

%%%

The Blades were looking for their kit. They hoped he wasn't on the training deck. Fortunately, the training deck was empty, but that presented them with another problem. If Keith wasn't on the training deck, then where was he?

Kolivan sniffed, trying to catch a whiff of their kit's scent. He managed to detect where Keith had gone. He started tracking him, trusting his pack to follow him. They ended up near the lounge, where they heard Lance say, "Apple?"

"Well, green apple, but I think it counts. My turn."

There was a rustling, which intrigued the Blades enough to draw them into the lounge, where they saw their kit kissing his mate. There were six little tubes on the little table in front of them.

"Kit?"

Keith drew back from Lance and licked his lips. "Kolivan?"

"What is going on?"

Keith blushed. "Well, Lance introduced me to this game, which is called the Chapstick Challenge."

"It involves kissing?" Thace asked.

"Well, yes, but there are some other rules like guessing the flavor." Keith looked at Lance. "Was that Sugar Cookie?"

Lance grinned. "Yup. You're really good at this."

"Galra do have a heightened sense of taste," Ulaz mentioned.

"Meaning I didn't stand a chance?"

"No, kit, but playing is important for kits," Antok replied.

"I'm not a kit."

"You are younger than Keith, and he is a kit," Thace responded.

"But I'm not Galra."

"It matters not. You are Keith's mate, so you are pack," Kolivan stated.

Lance blushed. "I appreciate that. It reminds me of a family. When we get back to Earth, I want to introduce Keith to my family. Since you are Keith's family, you should come too."

"Thank you, kit. It's considerate of you to include us in your introductions."

Lance tugged Keith closer to him, effectively tucking him into his side. "Family is family. It doesn't matter what species you are."

Fin


	176. Protective Pride (Keitor, Mama Lions)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All five lions want to make sure Lotor is going to treat their cub right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Keitor and Mama Lions.
> 
> Tags: Keitor, Mama Lions, Protective Lionesses, Soft Lotor

"Protective Pride"

Lotor looked apprehensive as his mate pulled him down one of the corridors on the Castle of Lions. All Keith had said was that the lions wanted to talk to the two of them before he tugged him out of their nest and towards the lions, was his guess.

"They gathered in Black's hangar."

So they _were_ headed for the lions. He hadn't realized that the lions were sentient or that all five had a connection to his mate. Did that mean Keith could pilot all five? Probably not, but he _could_ fly two of them, which was quite impressive anyway.

They entered the hangar, and a yellow tail came to a stop right in front of them. Keith tugged Lotor onto the tail, and Black Lion moved her tail up, so the other lions could see Keith and Lotor.

"So, this is your mate, cub?"

"Yes, Red. This is Lotor."

"We are aware of his name, little one."

"Come on, Black. He's on our side now."

"Are you sure he's trustworthy?"

Keith grinned. "Yes, Blue. He's proven his worth."

"Does he treat you well?"

"Of course, Yellow."

"Isn't he Emperor?"

"Yes, Green. He is."

"Keith, are you talking to the lions?" Lotor asked.

"Oops. I forgot you can't hear them. They were just ensuring that you mean me no harm."

"Can they understand me?"

"Of course."

"Oh, good. Lions, I would rather hurl myself into a star going supernova than hurt my mate. My instincts won't allow any harm to come to him."

A mechanical purr was heard after Lotor's declaration. "I like him."

Keith smiled. He figured Blue would come around first, and he wasn't disappointed. He figured the rest of the pride wouldn't be too far behind, especially when they witnessed Lotor's intentions firsthand. After all, actions spoke louder than words.

Fin


	177. A Good Evening (Kallura)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allura arrives home after work and is happy that her boyfriend is awake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Kallura with Vampire Keith and Human Allura.
> 
> Tags: Kallura, Vampire Keith, Human Allura, Living Together

"A Good Evening"

Allura entered the darkened apartment she shared with her boyfriend. She had just finished her job at the hospital and had stopped by the blood bank on her way home. Keith had insisted that she didn't have to, that he capable of getting his own after sunset, but she wouldn't hear of it. Why waste the time, when she got off before sunset and it was on the way home?

Before she could turn on any lights, she felt ice cold fingers brush the back of her neck. The feeling of those cold fingers always sent shivers down her spine. She wasn't afraid of him; never had been, never will be. He knew she had no desire to be turned, and he respected her decision.

"Good evening, my love."

She felt his breath against her neck. She smiled. "It is now, especially since you're awake. Oh, I got your dinner."

He gently took the blood bags and nuzzled her neck. "You are the best, 'Lura."

He landed a kiss on the side of her neck, a fang threatening to pierce her skin, but it didn't even leave a red mark. She knew he was obsessed with her neck and didn't mind. It was in his nature after all, and as long as he had blood to drink, he wouldn't take from her. She turn on one of the lights as Keith drank his dinner. She put away her keys and purse and left to change out of her scrubs and into more comfortable clothes. She slipped into a pair of lounging pants and an old t-shirt of Keith's. It had been red at some point in its life but was so faded that it looked more pink and whatever words had been printed on there were so faded that they were illegible.

By the time she returned to the main area of the apartment, Keith was done with his dinner and had settled onto the couch, waiting for Allura to join him. She smiled and settled between his legs, leaning her back against his chest. Her position gave him access to her neck, a sign of how much she trusted him to not bite her.

Keith adored Allura, especially when she let him nuzzle and kiss her neck. He never asked her to bare her neck to him but never missed the opportunity to pay attention to it when it came up. He wouldn't do anything she didn't want. It would be a breach of trust, and once broken, it was very difficult, if not impossible, to repair it.

Fin


	178. An Ailing Little (Age Regression, Shallura)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith is ill and little. All he wants is for his Daddy and Mama to take care of him, mostly his Daddy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is age regression with Little Keith, Daddy Shiro, Mama Allura, and Shallura.
> 
> Tags: Age Regression, Shallura, Little Keith, Daddy Shiro, Mama Allura, Sick Keith

"An Ailing Little"

Keith sniffled. He was little and not feeling well. He was still in his room but not alone. Currently, his Mama was holding him and combing her fingers through his hair. He had two out of his three favorite comfort items with him, his red blanket and his stuffed red lion. He normally also had a red pacifier, but since he wasn't feeling good, he didn't want it. He just wanted held and cuddled but by both of his caregivers. Where was his Daddy?

Allura combed her fingers through her little's hair, trying to comfort him in her boyfriend's absence. She hoped he would come back soon. He had left to get Keith some liquid medicine that could be put in a bottle, so it would be easier to take. Allura knew that Keith preferred his Daddy when he was little, and she didn't take offense to that. Keith had known him a lot longer than he had known Allura, and they had a deep bond due to that.

Suddenly, the door opened, attracting both Keith's and Allura's attention. Keith reached out to the new comer. "Daddy!"

Shiro hurried into the room, bottle in hand. "Hey, sweetie. Sorry that took longer than we thought."

He sat down next to his girlfriend, and Keith wiggled out of Allura's grip to sit on Shiro, who smiled. He let Keith settle himself into his lap before he popped the bottle into his mouth. Keith started sucking on it, his eyes closing in contentment. Allura continued combing her fingers through Keith's raven locks as he drank. Both caregivers knew that Keith would fall asleep while drinking, and that was all right. Sleep was best for anyone when they were sick, little or not.

Fin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy birthday to me!


	179. The Princes' Guard (Shklance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even though Keith and Lance were promised to each other, they knew there was another person that they wanted as well. Shiro didn't stand a chance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Shklance with Galra Prince Keith (of Marmora), Altean Prince Lance, and Human Guard Shiro.
> 
> Tags: Shklance, Altean Prince Lance, Galra Prince Keith, Human Guard Shiro

"The Princes' Guard"

"Your highnesses, please wait up!" Shiro had to run to keep up with his two charges.

Altean Prince Lance was the beloved second child of King Alfor and Queen Melenor and brother to Princess Allura. He had white hair, blue eyes, and matching blue Altean markings. Galran Prince Keith was from the Marmora colony. He was an orphan prince, raised by a group of four highly skilled Galra called The Blades of Marmora. He had short, violet fur all over his body; a long, thin tail; fluffy ears; darker purple cheek stripes; sharp fangs; typical eyes for a half Galra with yellow sclera, black pupils, and purple irises; and his hair was two toned with violet on top and magenta underneath and was long, which Keith kept braided, so it wouldn't get in his way. Shiro had a black undercut with a white hair floof that very rarely got into his grey eyes.

Lance's breathless laughter was joined by Keith's. The two princes were promised to each other, and they got along well, aside from any competitiveness. Keith came to live on Altea, and Shiro was assigned to guard the two princes.

The three males grew close, especially since Keith was quite affectionate. He loved to wrap his tail around Shiro's waist while having his arms wrapped around Lance. Lance, in turn, liked wrapping his arms around Shiro, especially in private. The two princes weren't embarrassed to be seen draped over each other _or_ their guard. Shiro caught the knowing looks of King Alfor, Queen Melenor, Princess Allura, and Advisor Coran and often wondered if they had planned on the two princes falling in love with Shiro.

Shiro finally managed to catch up with the two princes, because they stopped running. Shiro looked around and noticed that they were in the gardens. The two princes sauntered over to him and latched onto him. Lance wrapped his arms around Shiro's, and Keith wrapped his tail around Shiro's waist. They led him over to a section of the garden that had a lot of red, blue, and purple flowers and tugged him down into the flowers. Lance immediately started weaving the blooms into flower crowns, and soon, all three of them had a tri-colored crown nestled in their hair.

Shiro reverently touched the flower crown with the barest of touches, while Keith cocked his head. "Lance?"

"Why did you give us these flower crowns?" Shiro asked.

"Well, one, they're pretty, and two, you both are my boyfriends."

Shiro turned to look at Keith, who smiled and purred. "Same here. You two are my mates."

Shiro gave a hesitant smile. "Then, you can call me Takashi."

Fin


	180. Mama Black (Sheith, DoM, Mama Black Lion)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro and Keith fall asleep in Black, and the DoM find them and let them stay there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, and Antok survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. This is Sheith and Mama Black. 
> 
> Tags: Sheith, DoM, Mama Black Lion, Sleepy Sheith

"Mama Black"

Keith entered the room he shared with Shiro and was confused as to why it was empty. Shiro had said that he was going to rest and possibly get some sleep. Keith had good naturedly teased Shiro about him taking a nap, but Shiro retorted by inviting Keith to nap with him. Keith blushed and immediately stopped teasing his boyfriend. Keith had stayed put, thinking about Shiro's invitation, and eventually decided that he'd like to join Shiro, which was what led him to going to their room. Apparently, Shiro wasn't there, but, then, where was he?

Suddenly, Keith felt a nudge along his bond with Black Lion. He cocked his head and pushed against the bond in question. He received a purr in his mind and a picture of Shiro sleeping in the pilot's seat. Keith smiled and sent back a question. "Can I join him?"

"Come in, little one."

Keith smiled again and walked into the Black Lion's hangar. Black slowly bent down and opened her mouth to allow her secondary Paladin entrance. Keith climbed in and entered the cockpit. He saw Shiro sleeping in the pilot's seat, which was reclined slightly. Keith carefully climbed onto Shiro and snuggled against him. He yawned and closed his eyes, purring once he fell asleep.

%%%

Kolivan, Antok, Thace, and Ulaz were slightly worried, because they couldn't find their kit. He was usually on the training deck, but the room was empty. They were wondering if he was with Shiro, but that gave them another problem. They didn't know where Shiro was.

"Maybe they are in their quarters?" Thace suggested.

The four Blades went to the room, and Ulaz knocked on the door. "Kit? Shiro? Are you in there?" His ears twitched as he didn't hear any sounds from inside the room. "They aren't there."

"Where are they then?" Thace asked.

Whistling caught their attention. Lance was walking by and paused when he saw the four Blades standing next to Keith's and Shiro's door. "What are you doing?"

"We were looking for Keith...and Shiro," Ulaz answered.

"Mullet's not on the training deck? If they're not in their room, maybe they are in Black Lion?"

"Why would they in the Black Lion?" Kolivan inquired.

"Sometimes it's nice to rest in the lion. They like to watch over us Paladins. Since Shiro is the primary Paladin for Black and Keith's the secondary Paladin and they are dating, it would make sense that they are together in Black. I don't know if she'll let you see them, but it's worth asking. At least it's not Red. She hardly lets people check on Keith when he's in her cockpit."

"Thank you, Blue Paladin. We will check Black Lion to see if they are there," Kolivan replied. Lance nodded and continued on his way, whistling to himself as he did so.

The Blades shook their heads at the antics of the Blue Paladin and headed down to the lion hangars, specifically the Black Lion hangar. They walked over to the large lion, surprised that her particle barrier was down.

Thace walked closer to the lion. "Are Keith or Shiro inside? May we see them?"

Fortunately, Black Lion knelt down and opened her mouth. The four Blades entered the lion, and they heard the purring before they found Keith and Shiro sleeping in the pilot's seat. Thace pulled a blanket out of one of the rear compartments and draped it over the sleeping duo. Each Blade ran his claws through Keith's hair before departing the lion's cockpit. Since Keith was taking a nap, there was no reason to disturb him, and the Blades had no issues leaving their kit inside the lion, who put up her particle barrier as soon as they left.

Fin


	181. ER (Shallureith)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allura works as an ER doctor and her husbands, Shiro and Keith, are brought in, one of whom had been attacked by a cougar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Shallureith. 
> 
> Tags: Shallureith, Human AU, Doctor Allura, Hurt Keith, Stubborn Keith

"ER"

"Paging Doctor Allura! Paging Doctor Allura! Report to ER admittance!"

Allura looked up at the intercom as it made the page. There was only one reason she would be needed at admittance; one or both of her husbands was there. She sighed as she hurried there, wondering what had happened this time. She saw both Keith and Shiro there, but only Keith seemed injured. Shiro was holding the slightly younger man, who was barely conscious.

Allura hurried over. "Follow me."

Shiro rushed after Allura into a vacant room, where he laid Keith on his stomach, showing Allura the injuries he sustained. There were long scratches on his back and teeth marks on the back of his neck. It looked like he had been mauled by a large cat. She looked at Shiro for an explanation, while she hooked up the vital signs monitor.

"We were setting up to take pictures of the location for the next documentary when a cougar leapt onto Keith. I managed to pull it off of him before it killed him."

"Well, it looks like he's stable as long as we can stop the bleeding." She walked towards the door. "Do you need medical attention too, Shiro?"

"No. The blood is all his."

Allura nodded before leaving to collect supplies to work on Keith's injuries. Normally, doctors and nurses weren't supposed to work on their spouses and relatives, but Allura was used to seeing her husbands injured and didn't want her colleagues working on either of them. Frankly speaking, she was exasperated by the multiple times they get hurt. It wasn't uncommon to see one or both covered in blood. She did have to admit that this was an unusual case. Normally, they weren't attacked by a large cat.

She didn't let it distract her. She needed to stop the bleeding, make sure the wounds weren't infected, and check to see if there was any internal bleeding. She gathered her supplies and returned to the room Keith was in. She wasn't surprised to see Shiro making sure Keith wouldn't move. It brought a smile to her face. Her more impulsive husband was also quite stubborn. No doubt he was wanting to leave.

"Now, Keith, you need to be treated. If you don't let me do my job, I _will_ sedate you."

Keith turned his head and flinched as it hurt. "'Lura?"

"Yes, Keith." Allura gently moved his head back into a more comfortable position that didn't aggravate the punctures. "This isn't some minor injury you can wrap yourself and take some acetaminophen. Shiro was right to bring you in. Now, are you going to cooperate or do I have to sedate you?"

Keith pouted but didn't move, showing his wife that he was going to cooperate. She grinned as she got to work. Her husbands knew she was the boss; sometimes they just needed reminded of that.

Fin


	182. Bad First Impression (Shatt, Broganes)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro introduces Matt, his mate, to Keith, his brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Shatt and Broganes with Wolf Shifters Shiro and Matt and Vampire Keith.
> 
> Tags: Shatt, Broganes, Wolf Shifter Shiro, Wolf Shifter Matt, Vampire Keith, Matt and Keith do not get along

"Bad First Impression"

"Are you sure, Shiro?"

Shiro wrapped an arm around the slightly shorter wolf shifter's shoulders. "I'm sure, Matt. Keith will be glad that I found my mate."

"I hope so. How much further is it?"

"Shouldn't be too much further."

Suddenly, they heard a strange snorting sound from a few feet in front of them. Matt hurried closer and saw a vampire with its fangs in a deer's neck. The vampire didn't seem too concerned about the wolf shifter's presence. In fact, he kept drinking. Matt growled. He didn't like vampires, especially in his forest.

The vampire stood up and licked the blood from his fangs. "You got a problem, wolf?"

"Matt! Wait!" Shiro had finally arrived.

"Shiro, stay back. It's a vampire."

"I know. That's Keith, my brother."

"Your brother?! You never mentioned he was a vampire! I thought he was a wolf shifter like us!"

"Do you have a problem with vampires?" Keith all but hissed.

Shiro put himself between his mate and his brother. "Calm down, Keith, and Matt, yes, Keith is a vampire. He's not related to me, but he is as close as a real brother would be."

"I never got along with other supernatural beings," Matt admitted. "I especially don't like them in my woods."

"I don't live here, wolf. Shiro told me to wait here until he arrived," Keith stated.

"I'm glad you could make it, Keith. I wanted to introduce you to my mate. This isn't how I wanted you two to meet, but this is Matt."

"So, this is your mate? Kind of scrawny, isn't he?"

Matt growled again. "Like you have room to talk, vampire!"

"Keith, Matt, both of you stand down. I understand you two didn't meet in the best of circumstances, but could you try to get along?"

"I will try for you, Shiro," Keith agreed.

"As long as he doesn't attack any more of the animals in my woods," Matt said.

"Deal."

Shiro sighed. If he had thought his brother and mate wouldn't get along, he would have picked a better venue for their introduction to each other, but the damage had been done. Shiro just hoped they would be able to get along as both of them were important to him.

Fin


	183. Atypical (Kidge)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith tries to get Pidge to leave the Green Lion hangar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Kidge with Alpha Keith and Omega Pidge. 
> 
> Tags: Kidge, ABO Dynamics, Alpha Keith, Omega Pidge

"Atypical"

Keith stalked to the Green Lion hangar. His girlfriend and Omega could basically live there and be pretty content, surrounded by tech and away from people. That was one thing he liked about Pidge; she wasn't the typical Omega. Normally, Omegas thrived being around others and soft things. Pidge, on the other hand, didn't like crowds and liked her solitude. It wasn't necessarily easy for Keith to get close to the sassy Green Paladin, but he didn't like being around others either.

Neither of them were big on conversations, but they loved the comfortable silence when they were the only two in the room. The silence then became a comment here and there or Pidge asking Keith to hand her a tool or piece of tech, which turned into him asking if she wanted any help. He wasn't much help, but sometimes talking out loud let Pidge figure out what the issue was.

However, Pidge was supposed to be done in the hangar for the day and spend some time with him in their room. He entered the hangar and saw his Omega hanging half out of the Green Lion's mouth, which was resting on the ground. He sighed in relief. Sometimes the lion wasn't knelt down when Pidge decided to fix or upgrade something, and it worried him to see her dangling really high in the air.

He walked over to her and tapped her on the top of head. She jerked back and looked over her shoulder, smiling when she saw Keith. "Hey, Keith."

"Don't 'hey, Keith' me. You are supposed to be done in here for today."

"Aww, Alpha. I just wanted to do-"

Keith growled. "No, Omega. You are done.

Pidge stood her ground. "I'm at a really crucial step, and I can't stop. Please, Alpha. You can stay here and make sure I don't do anything else."

Keith stopped growling. "You know all this tech stuff just goes over my head. I couldn't tell one upgrade from another, but I'm definitely staying here."

Pidge grinned and kissed Keith's cheek before bending back into Green's mouth. Keith touched his cheek where she kissed it. She normally didn't initiate the affection, but when she did, it threw him for a loop. He watched her hanging out of the lion's mouth as he settled on top of a nearby table. Sometimes he was too soft with his Omega, but since she was the only one who saw that side of him, it was okay.

Fin


	184. Ultrasound (Jaith)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James and Keith learn they're having a boy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, and Antok survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. This is also Jaith with Pregnant Keith with Galran features.
> 
> Tags: Jaith, Galra Keith, Pregnant Keith, Doctor Ulaz

"Ultrasound"

"Are you sure you want me there?"

"Of course I do. We're supposed to be able to find out what gender the baby is." Keith's fluffy ears were laying against his skull, almost disappearing in his fluffy hair.

James wrapped an arm around Keith's shoulders, to which Keith responded with wrapping his tail around James's waist. "I sometimes find it hard to believe that we are married and expecting. I never thought that was possible."

Keith gave a little laugh. "Yeah. Galra genes are weird."

"But that's okay, baby. It's part of who you are. Now, let's get you to Ulaz."

Keith purred to his husband as they made their way to the special clinic that Ulaz ran. Being Ulaz's kit allowed Keith (and James) to bypass the waiting room, especially since he had an appointment scheduled. James helped Keith up onto the table in the room designated for ultrasounds. As it was his second ultrasound, Keith wasn't worried; just anxious. This ultrasound would show the baby, his/her gender specifically.

James and Keith didn't have long to wait as Ulaz walked into the room and closed the door behind him. He walked over to Keith and nuzzled him. Keith purred to one of his father figures, his ears lifting back into a relaxed position. "Can we get this going?"

Ulaz slathered a transparent blue gel onto a medical wand, while Keith laid back and pulled his shirt up. "My apologies, kit. This is cold." He put the wand against Keith's baby bump. The sonogram was shown on a computer and a corresponding larger screen. Every time Ulaz showed something about the baby to the new parents, he also printed a hard copy.

"You see the kit's head, hands, and feet."

"What's that?" James asked, pointing at the screen.

Ulaz highlighted the section James indicated and zoomed in. The section of the sonogram came into focus. "It appears your baby is developing some Galran features. That is the beginning of a tail, and this," Ulaz highlighted another section and zoomed in. "Are going to be fluffy ears."

Keith looked at James, wondering what his husband thought of having a baby with Galran features. He was happy to see the humongous grin on James's face. "This is amazing! Our little one is going to have his/her Daddy's Galra genes!"

Keith turned to Ulaz. "So, are we having a boy or girl?"

"It's a boy."

Keith stared at the highlighted section of the sonogram that showed the gender of their baby. "A boy. We're having a boy with Galran features!"

James walked over to Keith's side and planted a kiss on his husband's temple. "This is great. Our little boy is going to look like his Daddy."

Fin


	185. Old News (Allurance, Mama Blue)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allura and Lance tell Blue that they are dating, but Blue already knows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Allurance and Mama Blue. 
> 
> Tags: Allurance, Mama Blue, The lions gossip

"Old News"

Lance escorted Allura to Blue's hangar. They had just recently confessed their feelings to each other and decided to tell their lion about it. They were going to tell the rest of the team later, but they felt that Blue Lion had a right to know first.

They entered the hangar and weren't surprised to see Blue's eyes were lit up and her particle barrier was down. Blue practically pranced over and scooped up her two Paladins before sitting down in the middle of her hangar. Lance and Allura made their way to the cockpit, where Lance sat down and pulled Allura onto his lap.

"Hi, Blue. We have something we want to tell you," Allura began.

"We're dating," Lance finished.

"I knew it!" Blue exclaimed.

"What? How?" Lance asked.

"Oh please. You two are my Paladins. I could feel your feelings for each other through our bond."

"Was it that obvious?" Allura inquired. "We just confessed the previous quintant."

"It was obvious to me. I can't wait to tell Red! She didn't believe me when I mentioned it to her."

Lance buried his face in Allura's hair. He couldn't believe the lions were gossiping about them. It was a bit embarrassing in his opinion.

Fin


	186. Fatigue (Sexus)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sendak tells Haxus to go rest, but the lieutenant doesn't want to and Sendak throws him over his shoulder and hauls him to their nest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Sexus.
> 
> Tags: Sexus, Concerned Sendak, Tired Haxus, Stubborn Haxus

"Fatigue"

Haxus hadn't gotten much rest the previous quintant. Sendak knew that and had attempted to convince his mate to stay in their nest, but the lieutenant refused, stating he'd rather be on the bridge with him than in their nest alone. Sendak couldn't blame him, but he couldn't let him overwork himself.

He put his right hand on Haxus's shoulder. "Hax, you need rest."

"I'm fine, Sen."

"Don't lie to me." Sendak gently squeezed his mate's shoulder, continuing when Haxus didn't reply. "Come on, Hax. You're overworking yourself."

Sendak growled softly when Haxus kept working. He knew he had to take matters into his own claws. He turned Haxus around and threw him over his shoulder. He marched off the bridge and towards their nest. He entered their quarters and deposited his mate into their nest. He turned to leave but was halted when there was pressure on his wrist. He paused and turned around. "Hax?"

"Stay with me, Sen."

"Help me get my prosthetic off first."

Haxus purred as he approached his mate, his claws ghosting over his fur as he reached to help with the large prosthetic. Once the prosthetic was removed, Sendak and Haxus removed their armor, and Sendak allowed his mate to tug him into their nest. Sendak curled around Haxus, who snuggled into his mate's fluffy chest.

Sendak started grooming Haxus's headfur, earning a purr from the less fluffy Galra. Sendak wrapped his arm around Haxus's waist and continued grooming his mate's headfur, lulling him to sleep. Sendak knew his mate was tired; this was proof of that.

Fin


	187. Competition (Veracxa, Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the Atlas, Veronica and Acxa are having a shooting competition. They don't realize that their competition has drawn a small crowd.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Veracxa and could be considered Klance.
> 
> Tags: Veracxa, Slight Klance, Sharpshooter Veronica, Excellent Marksmanship, Season 8

"Competition"

It was a slow, boring day on the IGF Atlas, and the crew members (and Paladins) were left to entertain themselves. Several of them took the time to unwind and pursue other favorite past times, some others were engaged in training exercises of one kind or another.

In the shooting range, a fierce competition was underway. However, the two competitors did not try to distract each other with verbal barbs or any underhanded tricks as this was to determine who was a better shot. If anyone had been allowed in, they would have been impressed. Neither woman had missed any shots, and all their hits had been bullseyes. They continued this, matching each other shot for shot in complete silence.

Neither one noticed the group that had gathered outside the doors. Lance, Keith, James, and Ryan were peering through the doors as the girls competed against each other.

"Acxa is going to win," Keith whispered.

"I don't know. Veronica's a good shot too. I mean, where do you think I get it from?" Lance asked.

"I understand what you're saying, but I still say Acxa's going to win," Keith stated.

James shook his head. "I'm going to have to agree with Lance. Veronica has impeccable aim."

Ryan had to disagree. "I have never seen anyone give Veronica this amount of competition. Acxa might actually win."

"You want to make it a bet?" James inquired with a smirk.

Keith matched his smirk. "You're on, Griffin. What are the stakes?"

"If Acxa wins, Lance and I have to do whatever you two say for the rest of the day, and if Veronica wins, you two do whatever we say," James said, sticking his hand out.

"Deal." Keith shook James hand.

"Hey! I never agreed to that!" Lance exclaimed.

"What? Afraid you'll lose?" Keith challenged.

"No way, Mullet! I'm going to enjoy having you do my bidding for the rest of today!" Lance was having trouble keeping his voice down, but neither Acxa nor Veronica heard him. The quartet in the hallway peered through the windows in the doors, watching and waiting for one of the competitors to miss a shot.

%%%

Veronica was amazed at Acxa's skill. She had seen what she had been capable of and wanted to pit them against one another in a friendly competition. However, she was starting to tire. She didn't want to lose, but she feared that she would. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She let it out and reopened her eyes. She aimed her blaster and shot. Amazingly, she missed the bullseye! Everyone stared at the mark that was just to the left of the middle.

Acxa holstered her blaster and approached Veronica. "So, looks like I won."

Veronica turned to face her girlfriend. "Looks like it. Are you going to claim your reward?"

Acxa smiled and wrapped her arms around Veronica's neck. Their eyes closed, and their lips met in a loving kiss. Their kiss lasted several minutes, encompassing all of their senses, which made them deaf to the commotion occuring just outside the door.

%%%

"Ha! Told you Acxa would win," Keith told Lance.

He grumbled under his breath before he sighed. "What do you want?"

Keith grabbed the front of Lance's uniform and dragged him down the hall. "You'll see."

Fin


	188. Workaholic (Antolivan)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kolivan just became the leader of the Blade of Marmora, and Antok wants him to relax

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Pre-Canon Antolivan.
> 
> Tags: Antolivan, Pre-canon, Kolivan works too much

"Workaholic"

Kolivan never knew there was so much paperwork involved in being the leader of the Blade of Marmora. He didn't know how he was going to get it done in one quintant.

%%%

Antok stared at the door leading to his mate's office. He was very proud for his mate being the leader of the Blades, but he also knew that his mate was a workaholic and was bound to still be working and not taking a break. The large Blade nodded to himself and pushed the door open, entering the office and closing the door behind him.

Kolivan looked up when his door opened and smiled when he saw it was just Antok. Once the door closed, Antok's mask disappeared. Antok never took off his mask unless he and Kolivan were alone, because he thought the scars on his face would cause other beings distress. No one ever outright stated it, but Antok was very perceptive about it.

Antok strode up to his mate and nuzzled his neck, rumbling to him. Kolivan couldn't help but purr to his mate, causing him to start unbraiding Kolivan's braid. "'Tok, I need...to work."

Antok smirked when he heard the purr interrupt his mate's sentence. He knew trying to convince Kolivan to take a break was pointless, but words weren't necessary when ones were mates. He finished unbraiding the white strands, and ran his claws through them, earning a louder purr. Antok nuzzled Kolivan's neck, noting with glee that Kolivan's eyes were closed and his claws were empty.

He carefully maneuvered his arms around his mate and picked him up. He sat down in Kolivan's chair and settled his mate on his lap. There weren't many in the organization that could move Kolivan, but Antok definitely had the size advantage. Not only was he taller, but he was a little bulkier as well.

He wrapped his tail around Kolivan's waist and kept his arms wrapped around Kolivan himself. He nuzzled his neck, eliciting a sleepy purr from the leader. Antok smirked. "Get some rest, 'Van. The work will be there when you wake up."

Fin


	189. Mending (Kallurance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allura and Lance try to teach Keith healing, which doesn't go well

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Kallurance with Fire Fey Keith, Water Fey Lance, and Healer Fey Allura.
> 
> Tags: Kallurance, Fire Fey Keith, Water Fey Lance, Healer Fey Allura, Frustrated Keith, Healing

"Mending"

"Try again, Keith."

"It's not that hard, so why am I having such trouble with it?" Keith's wings drooped.

"You're okay. I'm sure you can do it." Allura's iridescent wings brushed Keith's black and crimson wings. "I believe in you."

"Thanks, 'Llura. Now, what do I have to do again?"

Allura took Keith's hands in hers and held them out in front of them. "Hold your hands like this, and concentrate on the injury. Imagine it becoming whole, unblemished. Will your magic to work on it."

Keith closed his eyes and did as his girlfriend instructed. She wasn't a trainer of healers for nothing. She knew what she was doing; he just didn't know if he had a knack for it like Lance did. Speaking of Lance, Keith was trying to heal a scratch on the other's leg. Lance or Allura could have fixed it in no time, but they wanted to see if Keith could heal it, which was what led Keith to having his hands held by his girlfriend and positioned over his boyfriend's leg.

After a couple minutes, Keith opened his eyes. "I don't think this is going to work. I can't do this."

"Keith, you-" Allura started.

Keith shook her hands off of his. _"No._ I can't do this."

Lance watched as Keith flew away from them, resting on a cluster of high branches. The brunette fey healed his leg with ease and flew up to join Keith in the branches of their home. "Hey, Keith. Are you okay?"

Keith wrapped his arms around his legs. "Why can't I learn healing? Other fey have learned it with no problems, even other fire fey! But not me."

Lance pulled Keith closer to him and wrapped his arms and wings around his boyfriend. "So what if you can't learn healing? It's not a requirement or anything. Some fey are good at some things that others are not. Allura and I are good at healing, but you're not. You and I are amazing fliers that can go fast, but Allura is not. You and Allura can withstand the scorching temperatures from the volcanoes to our north, and I can't. It's not a blemish on our lives as fey. So, don't focus on what you can't do. Just spend some time with us."

Keith uncurled himself and leaned against Lance for a little bit. After a minute, Lance unwrapped his arms and wings. Keith and Lance fluttered down to to floor, where Allura had been waiting for them.

Allura launched herself into Keith's arms. "I'm sorry that I've been focusing on trying to teach you healing."

Keith wrapped his wings around Allura. "It's all right. I know you were just trying to help. You are a trainer of healers after all."

"But that doesn't mean that I should try to force healing on everyone."

Lance wrapped his wings around Keith and Allura. "Maybe we just need to do something to get your mind off healing."

Allura blushed and tried to hide in Keith's wings as if she could avoid hearing what her other boyfriend was suggesting. Keith whacked Lance with the tip of one of his wings. "Get your mind out of the gutter."

"Your mind must have been there too, if you thought of it," Lance retorted.

Keith blushed. "Was not."

Fin


	190. Accidentally Emperor (DoM, Regeith)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Voltron Coalition should know better than to send Keith on a diplomatic mission. At least this one turned out well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, Antok, and Regris survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. This is Regeith.
> 
> Tags: DoM, Regeith, Emperor Keith, Accidents happen, Keith is freaking out

"Accidentally Emperor"

"What do you mean that you're the Emperor of the Galra Empire?" Shiro asked.

"Just that."

"You were just sent on a diplomatic mission," Allura mentioned.

"That's why you shouldn't send me on diplomatic missions."

"Whoa! Can we just back up to the fact that _Keith_ is now the Galran Emperor?!" Pidge exclaimed. "I mean, who saw _that_ coming?"

"I did."

Everyone turned to face the Blue Paladin. Keith stared at Lance. "Come again?"

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, I figured it might happen. The Galra are a race of fighters. Keith is a fighter. Put the two together; someone is coming out on top. I'm glad it was Keith."

"The Blue Paladin has a good point. Well done, kit," Kolivan agreed.

"Kolivan! You're supposed to be on _my_ side! I didn't _mean_ for this to happen!"

"Wait! It was by _accident?!_ Man, that's even better!" Lance exclaimed.

"The fact remains that you _are_ the new Emperor, and now, we have the Empire as part of the Coalition," Allura stated.

"Princess, it's not going to be that easy to convince the Galra to stop conquering people and join the coalition."

"You're not saying that you plan on _continuing_ conquering people!?"

"Of course not! I'm a Paladin of Voltron and a member of the Blade of Marmora."

"And the Galra Emperor. You just gotta add that to your list of titles!" Hunk added excitedly.

Keith face palmed. "Can't I quit or something?"

"Do you _want_ to abdicate, kit?"

Keith paused at Thace's question. "I..."

"You don't really want to, Keith, do you?" Shiro asked.

"Maybe not. I might be able to bring the Empire into a new era. It might be the best era or a complete train wreck, but it's worth a shot, right?"

"What's a train?"

Keith grinned at Allura's question. "Don't worry about it, Princess."

"Kit, you should be picking an incoming ship on Central's scanners now," Ulaz stated.

"As a matter of fact, I do. Who is coming?"

"Me!"

"Regris!" Keith's eyes lit up at the sight of his mate.

"Missed me that much, my mate?"

Keith purred. "You know I did."

"Permission to dock?"

"Of course! I'll see you there!" Keith turned to the larger monitor to see his pack grinning. "I also expect you four to show up soon too."

"Of course, kit," Antok replied. "Expect us in two quintants."

"See you then." Keith turned to Voltron. "You guys coming to Central too?"

"Do you want us to, Mullet?" Lance asked.

"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want you to."

"Of course. We'll wormhole there with the Blades, once they are ready," Allura responded.

Keith smiled and deactivated the view screen. He quickly made his way to the main hangar, where a Marmoran ship was docking. He waited until Regris descended the ramp before he rushed over. Regris wrapped his tail around Keith's waist and placed something on his mate's head. Keith reached up and gingerly touched it. "What's this?"

"It's a circlet made of luxite."

Keith took it off to look at it properly. It was indeed made of the dark metal like his knife, complete with a glowing stripe going around the center of the circlet. He replaced it with a small smile on his face. "I like it. Thanks, Reg."

Regris nuzzled Keith's neck. "Anything for you, my mate."

Fin


	191. Finding A Mate (DoM, Kacxa, Zezor)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Galra Prince Keith (of Marmora) takes a break from needing to find a mate, and he meets up with Acxa, who is one of the palace guards and a childhood friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is DoM, Kacxa and pining Zezor. Keith has a few Galra features (fluffy purple ears, a long thin purple tail, fangs, and purple cheek stripes). Other than those, he looks human.
> 
> Tags: DoM, Galra Prince Keith, General Acxa, Pining Zezor

"Finding A Mate"

Prince Keith was walking around the palace grounds, his tail swishing. He had _just_ gotten out of another meeting with potential matches. He wouldn't have minded if the men and women had actually _been_ there, then at least he could have gotten to know them, but it was just his council and the representatives. He didn't want to get engaged to someone he didn't know. At least, he knew what they looked like. That had been his first issue, and Thace provided him with a picture of everyone who was suitable and near his age, including the second child of King Alfor. Prince Lance was cute enough, but Keith didn't feel any pull from his picture. There were also a couple of potentials from Earth, a tech genius named Katie Holt and a warrior named Takashi Shirogane. They also seemed nice enough, but he ran across the same problem as he did with Prince Lance. There was just _no_ pull.

"Watch out!"

Keith looked up, his ears flicking, and saw the arrow coming straight for him. Instincts took over, and he unsheathed his knife, which transformed into a sword, and he struck the arrow out of the air in the blink of an eye. He lowered his sword in time to see the head general running up to him. The tick she saw him, she dropped to her knees. "Prince Keith! My apologies, sire."

Keith willed his sword back into its knife form and sheathed it. He grasped her shoulders and hauled her to her feet. "Acxa, there's no need for that. We have known each other all of our lives. If there's one being I don't want kneeling at my feet, it's you."

Acxa took the chance to raise her eyes to meet Keith's, and she saw that the prince was being honest. She smiled. "Thank you, Keith."

Keith smiled, his fangs glinting in the sunlight, and wrapped an arm around her shoulders as he guided her back to the training area. "So, what was going on?"

"Oh, Ezor and I were doing a round of catch and fire. She caught sight of Zethrid and fired in the completely wrong direction."

Keith chuckled. "Did she finally catch Zethrid's attention with the attempt on my life?"

Acxa grinned, knowing Keith _didn't_ actually think Ezor meant to kill him. "Hopefully. I don't know if I can protect your life on a daily basis."

"Well, there is one way, my dear." Keith stopped walking, making Acxa pause too.

"What's that?"

Keith pulled her close. "Be my queen."

"What?"

"Be. My. Queen." Keith put his forehead against hers. "I want you to be by my side for the rest of our lives."

Acxa closed the gap between their lips. She pulled back enough to whisper, "I accept."

Fin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note 2: Kolivan, Antok, Thace, and Ulaz watched their charge and prince flirt with his childhood friend before they started sending messages to the representatives of the allied worlds, stating that the prince had found his mate.


	192. Fearless (DoM, Katt)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The DoM threaten Matt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, and Antok survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. This is also Katt.
> 
> Tags: DoM, Katt, Matt's scared, Overprotect BoM

"Fearless"

If there was one word that described Matthew Holt, it could be fearless. After all, no one could work with the rebels to help take down the Galra Empire without becoming fearless. However, Matt was scared for his life at that very moment. There were four Galra staring him down. Well, he assumed they were; one was wearing a glowing mask. These four Galra were no regular Galra. They were Keith's pack.

Matt and Keith had initially met at The Garrison, but they were just friends. Keith had been a cute kid, angry but cute, and Matt had his eye glued on the stars. Fast forward five years, and Keith was the Red Paladin and Matt was with the rebels. Pidge "rescued" him and brought him to the Castle of Lions, where he met Lance, Hunk, Coran, and Princess Allura and was reunited with Shiro and Keith. Keith definitely no longer looked cute. He was _hot._

Matt started flirting with him, which flustered him to no end and let Matt see that Keith was still cute underneath his edgy personality. When he was told that Keith was part-Galra, he took it in stride, because it made sense and explained so much about Keith's personality. It also presented Matt with a quartet that were very protective of Keith and considered him their kit. Matt and Keith were technically dating, but the four highest ranking Blades wanted to talk to Matt, which was what led him being stared at by four, large, basically Dads.

Matt had seen Keith interact with the four Blades, who were protective of him. The largest Blade, Antok, was the most overprotective and resorted to physical means to protect Keith. Ulaz, the pale lavender Blade, was next in overprotectiveness and constantly checked Keith for injuries and illnesses. The leader, Kolivan, was right behind the doctor in overprotectiveness but relied on diplomacy and verbal means to protect Keith. However, Matt wasn't sure where on the overprotectiveness scale the last Blade fit.

"Matt."

Matt looked at the violet colored Galra, who had addressed him. "Sir?"

Thace smiled. "Just Thace is fine. I have no problem with you courting our kit. I know you won't hurt him."

Matt realized that Thace was the fun, playful one. Then, Thace leaned closer, his smile morphing into something that sent shivers down Matt's spine. "If you do, we will throw you out an airlock."

Fin


	193. Werecats and Hunters (Broganes, Shance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Shiroganes and The McClains are mortal enemies. The Shiroganes are supernaturally inclined, while The McClains are hunters, who are known to carry around a personal affect that is silver.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Shance and Broganes with Werecats Shiro and Keith and Hunter Lance. 
> 
> Tags: Shance, Broganes, Werecat Shiro, Werecat Keith, Hunter Lance, Scars, Silver

"Werecats and Hunters"

The Shiroganes and The McClains were mortal enemies, always had been. The Shiroganes are supernaturally inclined, while The McClains were hunters, who were known to carry around a personal affect that was silver, which was toxic to Weres.

The two youngest members of the Shirogane clan were Takashi and his younger brother, Keith. Keith was an orphaned Werecat from a related branch (The Koganes), whose family had been hunted and slain. Keith was fortunate to escape the slaughter with only a burn on his right cheek. Takashi had similarly been burned by silver as he ran from a group of hunters. He bore the mark across the bridge of his nose. Both of them were lucky to not be blinded with how close their burns were to their eyes.

That was why it was a shock to everyone in the clan that Takashi was in love with the youngest McClain hunter, whose name was Lance. This hunter never had his personal affect with him when he met with Takashi, which proved to the majority of the clan that he didn't want to hurt Takashi or any of the Shirogane family.

One day, Lance left behind his personal affect and life for good without a note, allowing his family to assume the worst. Lance was willing to leave his life behind to be with his lover. He was already basically one of the clan with the only exception being Takashi's little brother. Keith was wary of Lance. He was quite the skittish Werecat, which was expected given he witnessed his family's slaughter when he was young.

Lance was initially irritated that this Were was so untrusting, but when Takashi explained in the vaguest way possible so as to not break Keith's trust, Lance understood. He allowed Keith to inspect his clothes and belongings for any silver or tracking beacons, of which there were none for as long as he pleased. Lance loved Takashi and wanted nothing more than to win over the entire clan, especially Takashi's younger brother.

The years went by, and the townspeople swore that they saw brown hair among the raven-haired Shiroganes. However, when they went for a second look, the brunette seemed to disappear. Lance loved to be surrounded by his new family, even Keith took to protecting him, but no one was more protective than Takashi, and Lance wouldn't have it any other way.

Fin


	194. Playful (Klance, Mama Red Lion)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith and Lance enter their bond with Red and appear as kids. Red initiates a play fight with the two.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Klance and Mama Red Lion.
> 
> Tags: Klance, Mama Red Lion, Boyfriend Jackets, Kid Keith, Kid Lance, Play fight

"Playful"

Keith was on the training deck, tearing into gladiator bot after gladiator bot, while Lance was sitting on the sidelines and holding Keith's jacket. Lance wanted to cuddle, but his boyfriend didn't want to leave the training deck before he was done. He looked from Keith to the red and white crop jacket in his arms. He shrugged out of his jacket and slipped on Keith's jacket. Even though it wasn't as baggy as his, it was still comforting.

Keith sliced through the remaining gladiator and wiped his brow with the back of his hand. He opened his mouth to call out for the next level, but his eyes landed on Lance in his jacket before he said anything. His voice got caught in his throat, preventing him from speaking, and he closed his mouth. Lance looked really good in his jacket. He deactivated his bayard and walked over to Lance, who was watching him.

"Done already, Samurai?"

Keith reached out and cupped Lance's cheek. He swallowed, hoping his voice would work. "You look amazing in my jacket."

Lance blushed. "I'll let you wear mine after you take a shower."

"Deal." Keith leaned forward and kissed Lance. "I'll be right back."

Lance nodded, fighting back the feeling of wanting to melt into a puddle. He watched as Keith entered the locker room that also had showers attached. He knew he only had to wait fifteen minutes before he would be able to see his boyfriend in his jacket and cuddle him. Yes, Keith's hair would still be wet, but it was a minor inconvenience.

Fifteen minutes later, Keith re-emerged with his towel over his head. Lance stood up, carrying his jacket, and walked over to his boyfriend. He draped it over his shoulders, drawing a purr from Keith. He pulled his arms through the sleeves of Lance's jacket and tucked himself under Lance's chin, purring even more.

Suddenly, another purr joined Keith's. Both Paladins looked up and then at each other. Lance asked, "Did you hear that?"

"Yeah. It was Red." Keith's purr was still heard in his voice. "She wants to see us."

"Then, let's go," Lance agreed, tugging Keith with him off of the training deck and into Red Lion's hangar. The mechanical lion bent down and opened her mouth, letting her Paladins enter. Lance sat down in the pilot's seat, and Keith sat on his lap. They closed their eyes and entered their bond with Red at her prodding.

They appeared in the bond, where lion and Paladin can freely interact. Red Lion appeared as a fluffy, red lioness, and her Paladins appeared as seven-year-olds, still wearing each other's jackets. Red walked over and licked both of her Paladins' hair.

Keith giggled. "Red, what did you want?"

"I wanted you two to join me. Besides." Red jumped back and crouched down. "Now, we can play."

Keith grinned and crouched as well with a soft yet playful growl. Lance grinned as well. His boyfriend was so cute, and he couldn't wait to see what this playing entailed.

Fin


	195. Mers (Lotura)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allura drags a reluctant Lotor out to explore a sunken ship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Lotura with mermaid Allura and merman Lotor and extremely short.
> 
> Tags: Lotura, Mermaid Allura, Merman Lotor, Curious Allura

"Mers"

"Come on, Lotor! Hurry up!" A mermaid with a blue tail and long white hair called out to her companion.

Said companion was a merman with a lavender colored tail with white hair that reached the middle of his back. He swished his tail faster to create a burst of speed to catch up to Allura. "Why are you so fascinated with sunken ships? It's just a crashed human vessel."

"I can't really explain it, but it's so fascinating to see what kinds of stuff humans take with them when they get on these ships!"

Lotor sighed but followed her anyway. They reached the ship, and Allura swam through a section of the hull that had been broken by something, rocks most likely. Lotor shook his head at the sight of the damage. The humans needed to build better ships if mere rocks could sink one. Allura poked her head out. "Are you coming in or what?"

"Yes. I'm coming." He swam through the hole and just watched his girlfriend dart from one place to another with little excited exclamations over the stuff she saw. She was so cute when she was excited over something so simple. It just endeared her to him even more.

Fin


	196. Transfusion (Shurtis, Broganes)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Curtis is a vampire and the only one whose blood is compatible with Shiro, who's in desperate need of a blood transfusion. Keith has power of attorney over Shiro and approves the transfusion. Shiro doesn't turn, but he develops enhanced senses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Shurtis and broganes.
> 
> Tags: Shurtis, Broganes, Vampire Curtis, Injured Shiro, POA Keith

"Transfusion"

Shiro's eyes opened halfway, barely registering the fluorescent lights flying overhead. There must have been something wrapped around his head as the sounds and voices sounded muffled and close at the same time. One of the voices sounded like his brother. What was he doing there? Where was he? Just before Shiro blacked out, he heard Keith say, "Just do it."

%%%

Shiro tiredly opened his eyes. He could tell the lights were low but how could he see well in the dim lighting? He could also tell that there were two people in the room, one he knew and one he didn't.

"Shiro!" Keith noticed his brother was awake. "How do you feel?"

"What happened?"

"You needed a blood transfusion, but there was only one compatible donor."

"You're not telling me something, ototo."

Keith fidgeted slightly. "I okayed the transfusion, because I couldn't lose you."

"You're stalling."

"The donor is a vampire."

Shiro paused before asking, "So, I'm a vampire now?"

"No," a new voice spoke up. "I didn't bite you nor did you drink my blood. However, you should have enhanced senses, especially sight and hearing."

Shiro turned to look at the newcomer, who came to stand by his bedside. He had brown hair, blue eyes, and impossibly dark skin. Shiro could also see that he was a bit taller than him, but he also felt drawn to him. Was that because of his blood? "Why do you donate your blood?"

"I normally don't, seeing as the recipients receive enhancements to their senses, but when someone is admitted into the hospital and has an unusual blood type, the hospital staff contact myself and a family member. They can only use my blood if they get permission from someone who has power of attorney over the patient."

"Fortunately, I was already here," Keith stated. "I was faced with either letting you die or giving you a new chance at life with vampire blood running through your veins."

"There's something else," Shiro said. "I feel different."

"Well, there is another side effect of using his blood. Your disease is gone."

"Gone?"

"Healed," Curtis corrected.

"Healed," Shiro repeated in shock. "I can't believe it's gone."

"It's a good thing, right?" Curtis asked.

"Oh yes. I was dying and only had a few months left to live, but now, I'm not going to die soon, and I get to spend time with my brother. We are all each other has left of our family."

"Then, I'm glad I was able to save your life. I will let myself out, so you can spend time with your brother."

Shiro's hand shot out and gripped Curtis's wrist. "Please don't go. I'd like to get to know the person who saved my life."

Curtis smiled, his fangs faintly glinting in the dim lighting. "I'd like that."

Fin


	197. Not Taken For Granted (Thulaz)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's hard to find time to see Ulaz while at Central Command, even if he is Thace's mate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Pre-Canon Thulaz. 
> 
> Tags: Thulaz, Pre-Canon, Mates, Galra are social beings

"Not Taken For Granted"

Thace loved doing undercover work. The thrill of fooling the Empire wasn't matched by anything else in the universe; however, it didn't come without sacrifice. Even though his file came with the warning that he and Ulaz were mates, Thace didn't get to see him much. He knew Ulaz was on Central Command. Sometimes there were even quintants where he didn't see his mate at all! That didn't mean he didn't have the opportunity to check in on him. He volunteered for security duty and communications duty. He patrolled by the med bay as often as he could and peered into the different labs, looking to find Ulaz. He made sure to steer clear of any rooms that had Druids in them, but unfortunately, that sometimes meant that he couldn't check in with Ulaz.

It was rare that Ulaz sought him out. In fact, Thace couldn't remember a time where Ulaz had come to him. Thace was once again on communications duty, but he wasn't on camera duty, which was a disappointment to him as that was the reason he volunteered for communications duty. He was bored as he looked at the incoming messages, so bored that he failed to notice the door opening or the Galra that entered.

"Ugh. I never realized that some commanders are so _whiney."_

"And to think you want to be a commander."

Thace spun around in surprise, a smile lighting up his face. "Ulaz!"

Ulaz smirked and walked over to his mate, nuzzling his head. "Hello, Thace. I've missed you."

Thace rumbled as he returned the nuzzling. "I've missed you too. I wish we got to spend time together."

Ulaz didn't reply, simply rumbling to his mate, as he started grooming Thace's headfur. Thace's rumble changed into a purr as he enjoyed the affection, especially after the isolation they had to endure. They had originally thought they would get to see each other more often than they actually did. Thace did realized why the commanders and lieutenants of the Empire were so vicious. Galra were a social race and needed the company of more than just one or two more Galra, lest they became cruel. Thace considered himself lucky that he was stationed at Central Command and not on a flagship of a Commander. He got to spend time with multiple Galra, including his mate, even though it was rare. That made Thace treasure each encounter even more, and he was going to make sure he never took being in Ulaz's presence for granted again.

Fin


	198. Admission (DoM, Thulaz, Antolivan, Regeith)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith saves his mate from the exploding ship and confesses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, Antok, and Regris survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. This is Antolivan, Thulaz, and Regeith.
> 
> Tags: DoM, Thulaz, Antolivan, Regeith, Keith saves Regris

"Admission"

Keith, Kolivan, and Regris infiltrated the ship, which was strangely empty. The three of them made their way to the bridge. While Keith planted the tracker, Regris checked the logs. Suddenly, the door slammed shut and locked.

"I'm locked out of the system," Regris said.

"It's rigged to blow!" Keith exclaimed.

"The ship's a decoy! Everyone out!" Kolivan declared.

Keith and Kolivan used their blades to force the door open.

"Attempting to override," Regris stated, but the door was forced open.

"There's not enough time! Come on!" Keith urged.

"Just a few more ticks." Regris was adamant.

Keith darted forward, dodging Kolivan's arm, and grabbed Regris. He then felt Kolivan grab both him and Regris and a rush of air and realized that Kolivan was running with the two of them tucked under his arms. They barely made it to their ship before the decoy exploded. The explosion pushed the three Blades into their ship but also knocked out both Keith and Regris.

%%%

When Keith came to, he realized he was in the med bay. He groaned and curled up on his side, closing his eyes. Just before they shut, he saw Kolivan sitting beside his bed. His eyes flew open, and he attempted to sit up. "Kolivan!"

Kolivan placed his hands on Keith's shoulders and guided him back to a reclined position. "You need to rest, kit. You are recovering from a concussion."

"How's Regris?"

"Thanks to your efforts, Regris will make a full recovery. My question is does he know of your feelings?"

"Wh-what feelings? I don't know what you're talking about," Keith stammered.

"Do not lie to me, kit. Your feelings are obvious to me. It's how I feel towards Antok and how Thace and Ulaz feel towards each other. You should tell Regris of your feelings. I am quite certain that he would like be your mate."

Keith blushed. "You are sure?"

"Quite." Kolivan stood up and ran his claws through Keith's hair. "Now, you need to get some rest, kit. When Regris awakens, you can talk to him."

Keith purred at the affection he was getting. "Okay." He closed his eyes and relaxed as Kolivan continued to comb his claws through his kit's hair.

Keith wasn't sure how much time had passed before he heard a hiss. "Ow. What happened?"

Keith opened his eyes and turned to look at the only other occupied bed. "Regris!"

Regris lifted his head. "Keith? What are you doing here? Are you hurt?"

"Just a concussion. I assume Ulaz checked us over."

"Assume? You haven't seen him?"

"No, but I spoke with Kolivan before he left."

Regris chuckled. "Kolivan would only leave if another pack member was here with us. Ulaz is undoubtedly close, maybe in his office."

Keith carefully got out of his bed and padded the couple of feet between his bed and Regris's. He sat down, curling up with the tailed Galra, who looked down at the other Blade. "Keith, are you okay?"

"Now I am. I was so scared I was going to lose you. I don't know what I'd do if you died on a mission."

"What are you saying, Keith?"

"I love you, Regris, and would like to be your mate." Keith hoped Kolivan was right.

Regris smiled at the smaller Galra curled against him and wrapped his tail around him. "I would like that as well. I love you, too, Keith."

Keith relaxed against his mate and fell asleep, purring as he did. Regris nuzzled his face into his mate's fluffy hair and fell back asleep as well.

%%%

Ulaz looked up at the kits from his office. He had been there the whole time but didn't want to interrupt their confessions, figuring they wouldn't want an audience. Now, after their confessions, they had fallen asleep curled up with each other, and Ulaz didn't have the heart to separate them.

Fin


	199. Cooking Disaster (Adashi)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pre-Canon, Adam finds out that Shiro can't cook. He wakes up to the smoke alarm. Shiro was trying to make toast and left the toaster on the highest setting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Pre-Kerberos Adashi.
> 
> Tags: Pre-Canon, Adashi, Shiro can't cook, explicit language

"Cooking Disaster"

A high pitched alarm was _not_ the way Adam wanted to wake up on the weekend. He hated his necessary alarm clock during the week, but he despised it on his days off. Wait. His alarm clock was not high pitched, so what was going on? That was when Adam smelled the smoke. He nearly panicked until he heard, "$#!+ $#!+ $#!+"

He then realized that the apartment was _not_ on fire. It was just his fiancée in the kitchen, which was strange. Adam had _never_ seen Shiro cook anything before.

Adam got out of bed and slipped down into the kitchen. He waved his hand in front of his face, trying to dissipate the smoke coming from...what that his toaster? He stared at the back of his fiancée, who was fiddling with the toaster and muttering "$#!+" under his breath every so often.

He sighed and drew up next to him. "Takashi."

Shiro jumped slightly before he realized that it was just Adam. "Adam, did I wake you?"

"No. The smoke alarm did. Are you trying to make breakfast?"

Shiro rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, that was the plan."

"Have you even been taught?"

"No, but I thought I could do it."

Adam smiled. "Let me teach you."

%%%

He was two hours in, and Adam was wondering how anyone could be that pathetic at cooking. He tried teaching him how to scramble eggs, fry bacon, and bake muffins, but his attempts kept setting off the fire alarms. Adam had turned them off after the incident with the toaster and was glad he thought of doing so. Adam gently placed his hand on Shiro's shoulder after the most recent failure at making pancakes. "Takashi, I love you, but you are banned from the kitchen."

Fin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy birthday to everyone's favorite gremlin!


	200. Courting Gifts (Krolivan)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Krolia receives courting gifts from Kolivan, but she doesn't realize they are from Kolivan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Krolivan.
> 
> Tags: Krolivan, Galran Courting Customs, Keith is amazed, Gifts

"Courting Gifts"

It was a quiet day on Earth. The rebuilding had not taken too long once the Paladins were released from the hospital and the lions were able to be utilized to assist with the clean up of the larger areas. However, the Garrison and general public didn't want to let their heroes do too much; they did defend Earth and repel Sendak's forces for good. So, the Paladins spent time with their families, which meant Keith was spending time with his mom at his father's shack.

Krolia had been dismayed at the fact that the house had been burnt down but was glad that there had been pictures and other seemingly random objects that held sentimental value that were saved. She had spent the first few days sharing the anecdotes with Keith. Stories about his father had always held his interest, but the stories about _both_ of his parents captivated him. It was during one of these story telling sessions that there was a knock on the door, drawing the attention of both mother and son.

"Who could that be?" Keith asked.

"Stay here, kit. I'll answer it." Krolia stood up and walked to the door with one hand on her blaster, which was still in a rather worn holster. She yanked it open to reveal...no one there. She looked down and saw a box. She glanced left and then right before she picked up the box and carried it into the shack, closing the door behind her.

"What did you find?"

Krolia sat down with the box. "No one was there, only this box."

"What's in it?" Keith inquired with his head cocked to the side.

Krolia smiled and opened the box. She gasped softly and withdrew a brand new holster. She looked it over, completely missing her kit's smirk.

Keith knew that the box was coming, who it was for, and who it was from. However, the sender requested that Keith keep it a secret, which was in accordance with the Galran courting custom. Keith had been approached and asked if the courter could court Krolia, since Keith was her only family. Keith had readily given his approval and was wondering what gifts Krolia would receive.

Krolia was amazed by the new holster. It was such a thoughtful yet useful gift. Several beings, including Lance McClain and Acxa, had made comments about her needing a new holster, but she doubted this was from either of them. Something told her that this was much more personal than it first appeared to be. Engraved on the inside of the belt portion was her name in Galran.

%%%

The next gift she received came in the form of a file on her data pad. She had been relaxing with Keith when her data pad dinged. She reached for it and saw that a digital photo album had appeared on her data pad. Curiously, she opened it, and tears leapt to her eyes. There were pictures of Keith with the Paladins, Keith with the Blades, Keith with Krolia, and Krolia with the Blades. Strangely, Kolivan showed up in several pictures. Krolia smiled at a picture of Keith leaning against Kolivan. Kolivan had grown close to her kit in her absence. She wasn't jealous of their relationship. In fact, she was pleased about how close they were. Both Keith and Kolivan were important to her, just in different ways.

%%%

When Krolia received the third gift, she knew these were courting gifts. The third gift in question was a jeweled flower hair clip that had a concealed knife hidden. When she withdrew the stem from the petals, it was revealed to be a knife. This particular gift also came with a note, which read 'Even roses have their thorns.'

"Keith? Can you come here, kit?"

"Coming, Mom." It didn't take long for Keith to approach. "What's up?"

"I received this as a gift, and I need help to put it in my headfur. Can you help?"

"Sure." Keith plucked the flower clip from his mom's hands and put it in her headfur, making sure it was still easy to withdraw, so she could use it if she needed to.

%%%

Krolia clung to her son's shoulders as he flew them on his Dad's hover bike. Both her and her son loved the adrenaline rush that came with flying the hover bike. Keith was taking her on the same path he and the other Paladins took when they rescued Shiro from quarantine. She even let out a "whoo!" when Keith went off the cliff. They made it back to Keith's Dad's shack, and Krolia was surprised to see Kolivan waiting for them.

She hopped off the hover bike, letting Keith park it on the side of the shack, and approached the Blade Leader. "Kolivan?"

Kolivan looked up. "Krolia, welcome back. I trust you had a good time with your kit."

"Yes. I usually do."

Keith came up behind his mother but, upon seeing Kolivan, went over to him and nuzzled him, purring. Kolivan returned the nuzzles. "Hello, kit."

"Is it time?" Keith whispered very softly, so his mom couldn't hear him.

Kolivan simply rumbled to him in response. Keith grinned and withdrew his arms. He stepped back, watching Kolivan approach Krolia. The Blade leader reached behind him and untied a small package from his back. He handed Krolia the package wordlessly. Curious, she unwrapped it, drawing a gasp from her. There, in her hands, was a new luxite blade. She closed her eyes and concentrated on it. The new blade glowed and elongated in her grasp, connecting her life force to her new Blade. Keith's knife flashed briefly in response to Krolia bonding with her new blade, leaving Keith the sole owner of the knife.

Krolia opened her eyes and stared at Kolivan. "Thank you, Kolivan. Have you been the one sending me these gifts?"

"Yes. I wish to court you, Krolia. Keith has given me his permission, since he is your only blood relative."

Krolia sheathed her new blade, strapping it to her blaster holster, and approached Kolivan. She tucked herself against him and purred to him. "I accept."

Kolivan wrapped his arms around Krolia, pleased that she accepted his advances. He nuzzled her headfur before motioning for Keith to join them. Keith walked over and was pulled into the hug, confusing him. Kolivan nosed Keith's hair before explaining, "I am courting your mother, but you are important as well, kit. You are pack."

Fin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thus ends another volume of Legendary Defender Ficlets. There will be a Volume 5, but it will not be posted tomorrow. I need to take some time off and get some more writing done. I am still working during this pandemic and taking all the precautions I can since I interact with people everyday, but my work keeps trying to call me in on days I have requested off (multiple times each day) and I have taken to telling them no lately. I am so run down that I don't have any energy to do anything, especially write. I hope Volume 5 is able to be posted in a week, but like the previous 4 volumes it will start with DoM. I hope everyone has enjoyed this installment and stays safe and sane.


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